


The Alpha Trials

by skydarius11



Category: Z-O-M-B-I-E-S (Disney Movies)
Genre: Changing Perspectives, Evolving relationships, Fight Training, Not really sure how to tag, Other, Partial Nudity, hunting scenes, love is the constant, songs in the fic, wolves are animals
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:40:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 70,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26761534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skydarius11/pseuds/skydarius11
Summary: Addison decides to take on the alpha trials, a set of challenges in order to be a part of the werewolf pack. If she completes them, she will be a part of a magnificent and proud community. If she fails, she will have one more group to add to her "shunned by" list. How will she fare? And what other trials await her? Will she truly get what she ultimately desires?
Comments: 11
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

_“Was it this way? Or maybe it was the other way?”_ were the second-guessing thoughts that plagued a young girl’s mind as she walked through the semi-known wooded area.

 _“Ugh, why didn’t I pay attention when they first brought me here? Or even after prawn? Then again everything looks the same at night and there was a lot going on”_ the white haired girl reasoned as she stepped over a large tree root.

The forest itself was absolutely stunning; the sunlight pouring through the porous canopy creating an ethereal feel to it. But right now it felt like a dauntless maze. She continued to walk, her white shoes getting caked with dark soil.

 _“It couldn’t have been this far away…”_ she thought before walking onto a lush meadow with little clusters of trees surrounding it. _“Yep, definitely wasn’t this way. Great…just great. I’m lost. This isn’t good. What am I supposed to do now? Howl?”_ As absurd as that thought was, it seemed to be her best option at this point. She scratched at her throat before taking a deep breath and tilting her head up.

“AAAAARRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOO!” she howled to the sky, the even-pitched sound traversing the area. She kept it up for a few seconds before she ran out of breath.

 _“How do wolves do it?”_ she thought as she reached into her backpack and took out her water bottle. _“Good thing I had enough sense to pack some things before I left”_ she praised herself as she took some hearty gulps.

A few minutes go by as she waits for something, anything, to happen. But there was nothing. Not even a chirp from a passing bird, just the wind rustling the branches and blades of grass. _“Well that helped”_ she sarcastically thought before throwing her arms up in the air in frustration.

“**sigh** Guess I’d better head home" she sighs in defeat. She touches the moonstone she’s wearing, the dull rock still reflecting the brilliant rays of sunshine. “Too bad this can’t act like a phone” she laments before taking off her backpack to search for her real phone in the myriad of pockets. “Where did I put it?” but her search is interrupted when she hears some rustling in the woods.

And it was close.

She looks around but doesn’t see anything. Slowly she lays her backpack down and clenches her fists. _“Howling in an open field to attract who knows what out there. Great job Addison”_ she chastises herself as the rustling gets closer. She couldn’t help the small gulp that goes down her throat but still remains vigilant. Now it sounds like its coming from every direction. She stands up and scans the area, her heart rate speeding up with every sound.

“Grrrrr…” she growls before she catches herself. “ _Why am I growling?! What’s that supposed to do?!_ ” But that momentary pause was all that the stalking creature needed.

“GRRAAAH!” Addison whipped her head around too late and she was tackled to the ground.

“UUFFF!” she grunted as the wind was knocked out of her. Thankfully the attacker made her land on her back and her arms were still free. Despite the stinging sensation her whole felt she furiously swung her arms before an “OW!” was heard.

“H-Huh?!” she opened her eyes and lifted her head up. She couldn’t believe it when she saw a familiar figure with her hand to her right cheek.

“**hiss** Glad to know you’re not totally defenseless out here white hair” Willa tried to grin but it was more of a pained grimace as she massaged her cheek.

“W-Willa?! What’re you doing here!?”

“Number one, I live here. And number two, you howled for someone didn’t you? Though you said, “Purple cats hug pine cones” she smirked.

“You heard me?”

“Yep. You’re lucky I was in the area. I was looking for new trees to tie some handkerchiefs to so the pups to practice their tracking skills. It’s almost like what you humans call an Easter egg hunt” she explained.

“That’s cool, but why did you tackle me?” she asked.

Willa shrugged her shoulders and replied, “I needed practice” though Addison could tell she just wanted to mess with her. “Are you okay though?” she sincerely asked as she held out her hand.

“Yea, I’m fine. Thank you.” She grabbed the offered hand and Willa helped her stand up. “Way to almost give me a heart attack though.”

“I couldn’t resist. Wolves like to tease too” she grinned. “But let me take you to the den, it’s not safe being in the open like this. As you already guessed you become an easy target” she explained.

“That’s actually where I was headed before I got lost” she replied as she picked up her bag and slung it over her back.

“Why?” Willa asked as she started leading her away from the field.

“To check up on you guys after that big earthquake. It did a lot of damage to our already messed up town.”

“That’s an understatement” Willa scoffed. Addison could only hum at that. One dance couldn’t even begin to erase centuries worth of pain. “But why are you coming now? That earthquake happened a few days ago.”

“I’ve been on lock-down so to speak. I guess the thought of me being buried alive under rubble freaked my parents out. A lot actually” she explained, surprising even herself. She didn’t really grasp how much they were worried about her at the time.

“You guess? Normally that’d freak out any parent” Willa pointed out.

“My relationship with my parents isn’t exactly…normal. …Talk about a household being a living contradiction of what it tries to present” she mumbled. Willa heard her but decided not to press into it. “Anyway they finally let me go out and the first thing I did was come here” she finished.

Willa was quiet for a while as they walked. “…It wasn’t necessary” she muttered but followed up with a heartfelt “But…thank you.”

“Of course! You guys are my friends” she smiled and Willa hummed at that.

It didn’t take them long to reach the outskirts of the den. “Wow, I was waaay off” she commented.

“You sure were, but don’t worry. We’ll make sure you can get back here, even with your eyes closed” she assured.

“Really?” she didn’t mean the doubt to slip out through her voice but she had to be sure.

“Of course, you’re an honorary member of the pack” she stated as she pointed to the great alpha's necklace that was tied securely around Addison’s neck.

“Heh, that’s a thing?” she chuckled. “Of course it is, we just haven’t given it out to anyone in a very long time. Consider yourself fortunate” Willa stated.

“I do. And thank you” Addison smiled and the alpha smiled back when she sensed her gratitude. When they entered the tunnel to the den Willa shouted, “Wolves! Guess what I caught!”

“ _Caught?_ ” Addison thought before they walked into the sunlit den, its rays casting little prism rainbows off of the moonstone. Needless to say the wolves that were present were surprised to see her, though one was extremely thrilled.

“Addison!” Wyatt shouted as he ran over to her and gave her a big ol’ hug, almost tackling her to the ground just like his sister did.

“Nice to see you too Wyatt” she laughed before they separated. Though she wasn’t upright for long before Wynter glomped onto her from the side and sent her crashing to the floor. Thankfully it wasn’t as rough as what Willa did but still.

“Uggggh…” she groaned while the rest of the werewolves chuckled amongst themselves.

“Welcome back Addison! And I mean that this time” Wynter beamed and Addison couldn’t help but giggle as well. “Hello to you to Wynter. This whole…pouncing thing is a werewolf thing isn’t it?” she asked.

“Maybe” Willa smirked.

“And I’m never one to turn down a puppy pile” Wynter added before getting off of her and helping her up. “What’re you doing here anyway? Not that it’s a bad thing! Just…y’know. Curious.”

“We don’t get a whole lot of visitors. Well, any visitors for that matter” Wyatt explained.

“I came by to make sure all of you were okay after that big earthquake. But…where’s everyone else?” she asked when she noticed that there were only like ten werewolves.

“The pups are asleep and half of the pack left to retrieve our elders from the hospice area. Now that we have our moonstone back, they can finally be healed” Willa explained.

“Really?! That’s awesome!” Addison beamed.

“It sure is” Wyatt smiled at her.

“And we’re all good here – just a few dislodged stones but nothing that we couldn’t fix” one of the werewolves spoke.

“Thanks for checking on up on us though, that’s really sweet of you” another one added and they all nodded in agreement.

“Of course, I care about you guys” and she got a few grateful whines out of them. “Though I did get lost on the way up here” she sheepishly scratched the back of her neck. “Thankfully Willa heard me howl and found me in her own…unique way” she finished.

“What do you mean by that?” Wyatt asked and she told them what happened.

The rest of the pack held in their snickers out of respect for their alpha but Wyatt was laughing like he was a were-hyena. “Way to go Addison!” he laughed ignoring Willa’s growls.

“Yea, yea whatever” she dismissed with a wave of her hand. “Point is we’re all good.”

“That’s good. I’d hate for any of this to be damaged” she commented as she walked around den looking at all the runes and paintings. “Our school didn’t fare so well, it’s going to be closed for a few weeks. Maybe you can give them a few pointers on how to make it more structurally sound” she commented, making some of them grin and proudly grab at their vests.

The wolves watched her as she studied the walls. Her breath was taken away the first time she saw the artwork, but now that she actually had a chance to really look at them, they felt…alive. “Hey guys? What do these paintings mean anyway?” she asked.

“Uhh…” Wynter uttered and the rest of wolves looked at each other.

“What’s wrong?”

“Addison…please don’t take this the wrong way, but we can’t tell you” Wyatt regretfully answered.

“Huh? Why not? …Are they werewolf secrets?” she deduced.

“They are” Willa answered. “And we can never reveal those secrets unless you are a werewolf, became a werewolf” Addison clutched the stone on her neck as a pang of disappointment coursed through her body. “Or you became a part of our pack” she finished.

“Huh? I thought I already was” she countered.

“You’re an honorary member, that’s the difference. You’re allowed to hang out with us and be in our territory, but that’s about it” Willa explained.

“Well, how would I become a part of the pack?” she asked.

“Addison” Wyatt tried to cut in but Willa held her hand up to stop him. “Hold on Wyatt. This is one thing that we can tell her” she grins, obviously intrigued by her boldness and inquisitive nature. She walks around the den and explains, “In order to be a part of this pack, you must pass the alpha trials – three challenges set by our ancestors. The Respect Trial. The Hunting Trial. And the Combat Trial. If you pass those, then you become a member of our pack for life.” Then she stares at Addison straight in the eyes, her own glowing yellow. “So…what do you say white hair?” she challenges.

“Willa c’mon-” before Wyatt could even get a word in Addison matches her stare and says, “I accept the challenge.”

The rest of the pack stare at her wide eyed. It’s so quiet you could hear an earthworm tunnel underground. They’ve never seen any wolf try to do the alpha trials, let alone a human. And she didn't miss a beat.

“Are you sure? We wolves are all or nothing. There’s still time to back out” she offers with a smirk.

“I’m sure” she confirms and there was no waver in her voice.

“Very well” she acknowledges and walks to the center of the den. “Wolves! We have one that wishes to take on the Alpha Trials!” she announces before replacing the static air with a powerful howl. The rest of the pack follows suit, their necklaces glowing with a lustrous blue light.

Addison grabs her own and takes a deep breath to steady her racing mind. Sure this may have been impulsive on her part, but she wasn’t about to turn down a chance to belong to loving community like this one. Not to mention, she felt something stirring in her soul as the howls echoed across the walls. She glanced over at the moonstone. It was glowing as well, but with a purple light. Call her crazy but it felt like it was calling her…bringing something out. Whatever power that it could give she would gladly receive it in order to succeed. 

* * *

**The challenge is accepted. I hope you enjoyed this first chapter and there will be many more to come. Please be patient with me, it's been a while since I posted on this site. I don't own the characters created by Disney, only my own and my imaginative capabilities.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning. There are mentions of blood.

* * *

“Take a look at this Addison” Wyatt beckoned as he pointed to something on the forest floor.

Considering that she was a complete green horn when it came to hunting, Willa made Wyatt take her around their territory to show her some pointers before her trial. Or, _more accurately_ , he outright volunteered to tutor her.

His student looked down and saw more than a dozen cloven hoof prints. “Whoooa, a herd must’ve passed through here” she commented. “Do you know what kind of ungulate made these?”

“Hey, nice observation about the animal type” he complimented before sniffing the ground. “White-tailed deer. They’re pretty common around this area, and this was only small family. Five or six at most. They just passed by here not too long ago.”

“Are you only able to tell how fresh the tracks are by smell? Because that miiiight be an issue for me” she confided. It was no secret that she lacked many natural advantages that the werewolves possessed. Though she did mildly impress Willa by determining the cardinal directions without using her phone before they left.

“It’s the most effective way, but you can also tell by how flat the grass is. See how squished the blades are?” She nods. “If some of them were standing up, then that means it’s been a couple hours since your target came this way.”

“What if they walked on dirt?” she asked.

“An excellent question, my fine student!” making her chuckle. “Let’s follow these and see where they lead” and they continue the lesson.

It was good thing she ate the lunch she packed and brought her water bottle before they left on this training excursion; she soon realized that any hunting trip could be a multi-day journey. But she was still going strong even after a few hours.

She was also beginning to see how they’ve managed to stay hidden all this time. Following the errant tracks of different animals into secluded areas would make them hard to find, let alone see.

Soon they come upon a dirt part of the path. “Here we go. You can also tell how heavy your prey is by the indentation. The deeper the mark, they heavier the prey. The fact that there are even tracks in dry dirt is a good sign they’re fresh. Can you guess why?” he asked.

She thought for a few moments and replied, “Because they would’ve been swept away or covered up by other animals or the wind.”

“That’s right!” he smiled before instinctively reaching his hand out to ruffle her hair. Though he stopped when she looked at him strangely.

“Are…are you **petting** me?” she asked.

He immediately retracted his hand and sputtered, “I-I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean-”

“Wyatt” she spoke, silencing his rambling apology. “It’s okay. I…I actually liked it” she confessed as a tinge of pink dusted her cheeks.

“Y-You did?” and he could feel heat rise to his face too.

“Yea, it felt good! No one has ever done that to me before, not that I can recall anyway. I just didn’t think that you guys liked being petted. I thought it’d be an insult or something.”

“Why would you think that?” he asked.

“Um…I just thought it…I didn’t want to” she tried to convey but couldn’t find the right words to articulate her thoughts.

Thankfully Wyatt managed to put the pieces together. “You thought you’d be treating us like dogs” he figured out.

“…Yea” she cringed.

He just smiled and replied, “Well, dogs are descendants of wolves. So if anything you’re treating them how you would treat us.” She absorbed his answer and smiled at him, grateful for his understanding. “Ready to finish the lesson?” and they continued walking along the trail.

Before long a small pond came into view. It teemed with aquatic life that remained hidden just below the surface, adding to the wonder of it.

“Coool” Addison awed and Wyatt chuckled at her amazement. It reminded him of his first time exploring their territory – his curiosity fully sated with every new sight and smell. He was beyond thrilled that he was able to share in this extraordinary experience with her.

“Seems our deer family was thirsty. This is another good hunting tip – stay by a body of water or a river. All animals get thirsty and have to drink water at some point.”

“That makes sense” she agreed as she absentmindedly shook her green fighting shrimp water bottle.

“The downside is that it can be a loooong wait, but you don’t use up a lot energy.”

“So it’s either get the food yourself or let the food come to you” she surmised.

“You got it” he replied, but his ears twitched and he suddenly went still.

“What’s wrong?” Addison whispered when she noticed his abrupt stance change.

He didn’t verbally reply but motioned for her to get low and keep quiet. He sniffed the air a couple of times and grinned. “Looks like lunch is being delivered” and he licked his fangs. “Stay here, stay silent and don’t move” he whispered as his eyes turned yellow.

She nodded and laid down until she was almost prone to the floor. She watched the werewolf slowly walk towards whatever he sensed on all fours, keeping his breathing low and meticulously avoiding dried branches and puddles.

She could feel her heart racing with every step he took. Then he started to speed up to a brisk trot and soon she lost sight of him in the trees. Her curious mind wanted to stand up and see what was happening, but the last thing she wanted to do was interfere with his hunt.

**“GRRRAARRR!”**

Guess she didn’t need to see after all. She could hear frantic running up ahead as well as his barks and growls. But as quickly as it started, it was over.

Stillness pervaded the air – only the small, random splashes of the pond inhabitants could be heard.

“AAARRRRRRROOOOOO!”

She nearly leapt to her feet when his howl smashed through stillness; it even made some hidden birds scatter and fly away. Even though she had no idea what he said, her gut told her that it was okay to come out of hiding. She carefully stood up, being mindful of anything that could give away her position before ducking behind a tree.

She looked down at her light blue coordinated outfit and frowned at the state they were in. _“…Really wish I’d worn darker colors_ ” she thought, taking note of the deep grass and dirt stains – most of them caused by a pair of pouncing werewolves. Oh well, that’s what washing machines were for.

She peered around the natural wooden pillar and scanned the area, trying to see his familiar figure. A gulp went down her throat when a few minutes passed by.

“Wyatt…where are you?” she whispered to herself. Thankfully her question was answered quickly when she saw him walking back towards her.

“WY-” she was about to shout his name but remembered that she was supposed to keep quiet.

Wyatt noticed that and internally noted, “ _She heeds commands to the T. That’s crucial in a pack._ ” “Hey! It’s alright Addison, you can talk now” he waved at her and she sighed in relief. “Besides…I kinda did something I wasn’t supposed to do” he confessed.

“And that was?” she asked as she emerged from her hiding spot. She noticed the state of his clothes. _“If I came home like that…I don’t even want to imagine how bad my parents would freak out. Or what they'd do_ ” she thought when she saw all the smeared blood on him; he was still licking some of it off his lips.

He sheepishly scratched the back of his head with his blood-covered fingers and explained, “I shouldn’t have howled like that. That was a pup mistake. If you howl after you catch your target, it’ll alert any other predators nearby and they’ll try to steal your kill. That’s why I took so long; I had to eat pretty fast.”

“Would you like some water?” and she offers her bottle.

He glanced at the pond next to them and saw a pair of frog eyes before they disappeared. “Yes please” he graciously accepted. Normally he didn’t mind if an extra snack inadvertently swam down his throat while he drank, but he wasn’t in the mood right now. Not to mention he wasn’t about to pass up Addison’s generosity.

She flipped the spout open and poured it into his mouth – waterfall style. After a few gulps he was satisfied. “Thank you very much.”

“You’re welcome. What did you catch anyway?” she asked when she saw he was holding something behind his back.

“This!” he proudly declared and held up the red-stained, half eaten body of a large brown hare. The catch itself was now nothing more than a hollow cavity of bones and muscles. “It’ll make a nice clothing accessory don’t you think?”

Addison couldn’t hide her surprised, wide-eyed gaze, but at the same time she wasn’t disgusted by it. If anything she was completely amazed and fascinated by his speed and ferocity. “You heard that hare all the way over there?!” she incredulously asked.

“Yep, sure did!” he beamed.

“I don’t believe it…wow. Wow! That’s just…GOSH! The way you took off like that, you were like ZING! And then that howl! I know you said you’re not supposed to do it, but I felt something stir inside of me that made me want to join in too! And-”

Wyatt just chuckled as she continued to gush over and praise his hunting prowess, every sweet word filling his heart with pride. Even though he knew it was a natural thing that wolves do, he knew for a fact that had it been anyone else that saw him, they’d degrade that skill and treat him like a filthy beast.

“Okay I need to stop rambling now. Point is, you’re so cool Wyatt” she finally finished.

“Thank you Addison. That means a lot to me” he adoringly smiled. “Mind telling my sister that the next time you see here?” he joked, but all joviality disappeared when he saw her enthusiasm dim. “Hey…what’s the matter?”

“…Wyatt? Do you think I’m in over my head with this? How am I supposed to catch anything the way you do?” she asked.

“Hey, it’s alright. You just do the best you can and catch what you’re capable of” he replied.

She sighed dejectedly. “…Doesn’t seem like I’m capable of catching a whole lot. If anything for that matter. I am human.”

“And? That hasn’t stopped you from doing amazing things nor these trials despite all the odds against you. Are you going to give up now?” he challenged as he crossed his arms; dangling the carcass in front of him.

He was right. What would’ve happened if she didn’t go to the wolves when they were at the old Seabrook power building despite all the life threatening risks? She didn’t question what felt right to her then, why should she start now?

 **“No way!”** she refuted.

“That’s the Addison I know!” he smiled, glad to see that fire reigniting inside of her. “Just remember, you’re the first human to even attempt the alpha trials. That’s an incredible feat in and of itself. And I know without a shadow of a doubt that you’re going to be the first human to **pass** them.” She smiled at that. “Though if it were up to me, helping retrieve our moonstone would’ve been more than enough to make you part of the pack…but…”

“I know, I’m not a werewolf. Not yet anyway” she winked and that made him grin.

“C’mon, let’s get back to the den so you can grab your bag and I’ll take you home.”

“Okay” and they started to make their way back.

“Y’know, we wolves aren’t picky eaters. So long as it’s meat, we’re good. I mean we eat vegetables too but we have our preferences” he explained while taking another bite out of his kill.

“Any kind of meat huh?”

“Yep. It could be anything from elk, to fish, to even lizards.”

“You guys eat lizards?!” she asked disbelievingly.

“Sure. Or any reptile for that matter. Give me a gray rat snake and I’ll be happy” he affirmed.

“Heh heh…yea. We’ll see” she nervously replied. She didn’t mind reptiles, she just didn’t want to mess up and grab a venomous one by accident. “ _Guess I’d better get a fishing rod_ ” she thought.

After a while they reached the den. But when they walked inside there was no one around. “Where is everyone? Are they sleeping?”

He chuckled and replied, “No. You can hear a den of sleeping werewolves, trust me on that. We’re quiet hunters, but not quiet sleepers.”

“…Oh! That’s why the pups didn’t wake up when you guys were howling earlier” she realized.

“I think the pups just turn into rocks when they sleep” and that made her giggle. “Anyway, they should be finishing up hunting for dinner right about now, and Willa’s watching over the pups while they play.”

“Gotcha.”

“Wait here and make yourself comfortable. I’ll be back in three wags of a wolf’s tail.”

“Okay” she chuckled as she watched him go down the corridor. Soon her sight was back on the paintings and various runes. She touched one of the walls that had an image of a group of howling werewolves on it.

“…Soon” she whispered.

She was so enraptured by the images that she didn’t hear footsteps creeping up behind her, as well as silent snickering.

“GRAH!”

“AAH!”

“OOW!”

 _“What’d I hit now?!”_ Addison thought before looking around until her eyes landed on Wyatt.

“W-Wyatt?!” she exclaimed when she saw him knocked on his butt.

“Oooww…oooo…that’s a mean right hook you got there” he complimented as he massaged his cheek.

“Oh my god, are you alright?!” she asked as she kneeled down next to him.

“Yea…I’m fine” he assured as he moved his jaw a bit to make sure it wasn’t broken. “In hindsight that probably wasn’t the best idea. I’m sorry I startled you.”

“It’s okay, but jeez! You’re just like your sister” and she helped him stand up.

“Heh…yea. Definitely can’t make fun of her getting decked anymore. Can you do me a favor and keep this between us? Pleeease?” and he put on his best puppy wolf pout. The effect was instant on her heart.

“ _And here I thought that was just a cartoon dog thing. Well…dogs are descended from wolves_ ” she thought before the power of the pout made her cave in. “You got it” she promised.

“Oh thank you” he sighed in relief. “But I gotta say, you’re pretty fearless. Almost all the humans we’ve encountered ran away when they heard us growl.”

“You forget that I ran away too when you first came to the school…though I think I was just swept up in the chaos.”

“You were, and you didn’t run very far anyway. Not to mention you still talked to us. Plus, don’t you remember that you didn’t run away when you saw Willa howl?” he countered with a smug grin.

“I remember” she lightly laughed; after all she accidentally decked Zed the same way. “ _Seems like I have a bad habit of hit first, ask questions later. Which isn’t a bad thing, but it isn’t typical like he said. When did I get so defensive?”_ she thought before a lock of her white hair moved over her shoulder. She noticed it and lightly ran two of her fingers through it.

 _“…Right, that’s why”_ she realized.

When she wore her wig, there was always that threat of being exposed and it scared her to no end. No wonder she developed such a harsh retaliation whenever someone unexpectedly touched her. She was actually surprised that made friends with that kind of tendency.

She was so lost in her despondent thoughts that she didn’t hear Wyatt calling her name until he finally yelled, “ADDISON!”

“Hu-Huh?! What? What is it!?” as she frantically looked around.

“Whoa whoa hey. It’s just me” he assured before gently putting his clean hands on her shoulders. He felt her tense up a bit before relaxing. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice obviously laced with worry.

“Yea! Yea…I’m fine. **sigh** …sorry about that. Just…lost in thought I guess” she explained.

He stared at her for a moment; it was clear that something was weighing on her mind and he had a hunch it had something to with her hair, given that she was fiddling with it before she shut down. But he decided not poke at it – the last thing he wanted her to do was close herself off completely. For now the best thing to do would be to get her back in the familiar surroundings of her home.

“It’s alright” he assured. Taking a risk he decided to ruffle her hair again – but she didn’t tense up. Instead she slightly leaned into it. He smiled at that and thought, “ _She might not be a werewolf, but she certainly has the **soul** of one.”_

After a few seconds he stopped his caresses, much to her disappointment; he could’ve even swore he heard her whine a little. He walked over to the corridor entrance and grabbed her bag where he set it down at. “Shall we?”

“We shall” she replied as she took her bag and followed him out. Along the way he shows her various landmarks so she could find her way back to the den.

“And that’s the main way to our den” he finished as they came up on the dilapidated gate that separated the forest from Seabrook.

“There’s more than one?” she asked.

“Yep, but I can’t tell you because…y’know”

“Got it” she remarks as she swipes through all the pictures she took of the landmarks. “I promise I won’t show anyone these” and he nods at that.

“Remember, when you get to claw rock you’re halfway there.”

“Claw rock…” and she finds the picture of a boulder that looked like it was a testing site for a massive battle ax. “And then you make a left?”

“Correct” but then she started chuckling. “What’s so funny?”

“N-nothing. I just thought we’d have that whole confusion of word definitions when it came to right” she explained.

“…Huh?”

“Y’know. If you had said right, I would’ve taken it as I was supposed to go right at claw rock, but you actually meant I was right” she clarified but he was still confused.

“…Never mind, it had to happen to make sense. Anyway thank you for showing me the way.”

“Of course. See you around Addison” he smiled.

“See ya Wyatt” she smiled back and gave him a hug.

He was taken aback for a brief second before reciprocating it in kind. However something caught his attention that made his eyes widen. “ _Wha_?”

But before he had a chance to confirm his suspicion, she got out of his hold and started jogging back home. “BYE!” she shouted while waving to him.

He meekly waved back and watched her disappear into the trees surrounding the town. _“…No way…there’s no way. The necklace didn’t work. And yet…”_ but his confounded thoughts were interrupted when he heard a howl from the pack, telling him they’ve returned with dinner.

He howled back, letting them know he was on his way home. _“…maybe my nose was reacting to my wishful thinking”_ he whispered to himself before getting on all fours and sprinting off.

* * *

**Not bad for a first lesson. Wyatt is a great teacher and an even better friend. It was interesting doing research on the diet of gray wolves. How will Addison fare? Not only with hunting but also her own personal issues? Stay tuned to find out.**


	3. Chapter 3

“Wow…what an adventure!” Addison grinned to herself.

She laid on top of the couch, staring at their manicured version of the wilderness through large paned windows. The soft rumble of the washing machine could be heard as it eradicated the numerous stains on her clothes, just as she herself had removed all of the excess dirt with a nice warm shower earlier.

_“I still can’t believe I’m doing this. I can’t believe Willa is actually letting me do this. I mean…what do I have to offer? What if…what if this is all some kind of **joke** to them?”_

Despite the pep talk she had with Wyatt, those doubting thoughts crept back into her mind like a multitude of buzzing gnats. She shifted her gaze from the window to the ceiling, watching the fan spin around. She sighed as the inner swarm whirled around in her head – infesting her with their presence.

However a slight shade change outside caused her to look out to the backyard again. She saw a few multicolored leaves fluttering by along the invisible current, reminding her of her excursion underneath sun filtered canopy – feeling completely at ease with her surroundings.

_“No, that’s not it. Willa did says wolves like to tease but they wouldn’t do something like that – we’re friends. And she wouldn’t have Wyatt train me nor would he be so serious about it if it was a prank.”_

Just like that she pounded those annoying gnats to dust with a mental right hook.

_“Still…I don’t want them thinking that I only wanted to do this just so I can learn some secrets. It’s more than that. I mean other than Willa, Wyatt and Wynter I don’t know anyone else’s name, their culture or what they’re like as individuals. **sigh** I wish I knew how to convey that I don’t take this lightly and that I really appreciate the opportunity. And something tells me that words won’t cut it.”_

**PING PING PANG**

A familiar chime from her phone interrupted her thoughts. “ _Ugh…what is it?”_ she thought as she reached for it on the coffee table and entered her code to unlock it. Sure enough it was who she thought it was – it was her assigned ringtone after all.

<“Long meeting tonight. Your father and I won’t be home until late. Here’s our number if you want to order in. Get whatever you'd like”> and right below it was her mom’s credit card info. Then another **PING** comes through. <“Please delete the last message when you’re done.”>

She read and re-read the messages again to make sure her literacy skills didn’t suddenly diminish. _“…That’s new”_ she thought. It was no secret that her parents worked long hours – being the mayor and the head of the z-patrol will do that. But what was really surprising was that they actually sent a message and made sure that she ate. Not to say she was neglected, but she had to learn how to be independent at a young age. _“No chicken noodle soup tonight_ ” she thought as a small grin appeared on her lips. She liked the canned commodity well enough, but just the fact that they showed an ounce of caring about well-being caused it to appear.

“Wait…that’s it! Food! I can bring the pack something to eat! Or at least a little something extra. …But what?”

While her parents did say she could order whatever she wanted, she was **absolutely** certain they would NOT appreciate a massive food bill for possibly over twenty wolves. And besides, what could they eat other than raw meat? Sure they ate pizza and frozen yogurt at Prawn, but that was about the extent of human food that she knew of. Not to mention just buying something seemed…mundane. She wanted this declaration to be special.

All of a sudden an excited gasp came out of her lips and she did a quick search on her phone. “Okay…so long as it doesn’t have those ingredients it's safe for them to eat. It’ll be perfect! Now I just have to find the recipe.”

She got up from the couch and rushed into the kitchen. She went through the cabinet that had all the cook books that they rarely used. “C’mon…where is it? It has to be in he-FOUND IT!” she happily exclaimed when she located a weathered card. It was stained with various sauces, spices, and whatever else they were using to cook at the time, but the words were still legible. “ _When was the last time we used this recipe?”_ she wondered. Not long after she spoke those words a stray, almost forgotten memory entered her mind.

* * *

A delicious aroma wafted through the entire house as Missy rolled out a large sheet of white dough while a very young Addison watched her every move from one of the bar chairs. Her mother was caked in flour; if she had any on top of her head she’d match her daughter’s unique hair color for sure. Addison let out a little giggle.

“What’s so funny Addison?” Missy grinned back.

“You look like you lost a snowball fight” she replied.

Missy looked at her clothes and remarked, “Huh…so I do.”

“What’re you making anyway?” the young girl asked.

“Sugar cookies” she answered as she sprinkled some powdered sugar on top of the dough.

“Sugar cookies?! Sweet!” and Missy chuckled at the unintended pun. “Are they for our dessert?”

“A few of them can be, but these are for my constituents. The people that helped me with my campaign for mayor.”

“Really? That’s a lot of people. Wouldn’t it have been easier just to buy some?” she asked.

“It would have. But remember that lemon cake I brought home that one day?”

“Yea! That was sure good!” She licked her lips remembering that ultimate taste explosion.

“Mrs. Ferguson made that for me as a thank you gift for helping her with a fundraiser. When I told her how much we loved it, she was so pleased. That’s when she told me that anything that comes from the heart will shine through and be appreciated, no matter what it is. So that’s why I’m making these cookies; I want my appreciation for my team to shine through. Plus this recipe got five stars on Food Network” making her daughter laugh. “Would you like to help me cut them out?”

“Okay!” she enthusiastically replied before hopping out of her seat and grabbing one of the circular cookie cutters.

* * *

Addison smiled at one of the bright spots of her childhood. They made over five dozen cookies that day and they were a hit. It was the perfect launching point for her mother’s landslide victory into becoming the mayor of Seabrook. But then her lips dipped into a small frown. _“…Why’d it have to go downhill from there?”_ she quietly contemplated, but shook it off. “No, this is about the pack. To let my heart shine with appreciation for them” she resolutely stated and got to work locating all the ingredients. Thankfully they were fully stocked on everything.

She called up her favorite sandwich place and ordered herself a large roast beef hoagie. She shot a quick text to her parent to see if they wanted anything from there, but got a “No thank you” in return. She deleted the text that contained the credit card info before she forgot.

“Alright then, let’s get started!” Much like her mother all those years ago, she looked like she lost a snowball fight. But at least there was plenty of dough.

**DING DONG** _“Must be dinner”_ she thought before washing her hands. The delivery zombie chuckled a bit at the state she was in when she answered the door. “Here you are ma’am” and he handed her the bag.

“Thank you” she smiled.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what’re you making?”

“Sugar cookies” she answered.

“Sweeeet” and she did a double take before giggling at the unintentional pun. “Well you have a good night ma’am” and he tipped his baseball cap.

“You too, thank you!” and gently closed the door. She ate her dinner while she waited for the oven to preheat. _“That hit the spot. Ok…now where are those cookie cutters”_ she thought as she looked through the drawers. _“Huh, that’s weird. I know we haven’t made home-made cookies in forever, but they should’ve been in one of these drawers. Hmmm…maybe in the closet?”_

She goes to the storage closet where everything is neatly labeled and organized. _“Let’s see…cookie cutters…cookie cut-huh? Halloween? I didn’t think we had anything for Halloween.”_

Halloween in Seabrook was treated with extreme caution because…well…they lived next to zombies. Though now that everything’s changed hopefully she’ll get to experience trick-or-treating for the first time, even if she is considered too old for it. Or at the very least go to another underground party with Zed, Eliza and Bonzo. Curiosity consumed her and she took out the bin. When she opened it she saw the standard items: jack-o-lantern carving kit, felt bats, stiff paper witches, etc.

 _“What’s in here?”_ she thought as she pulled out a smaller, wooden storage container. _“What?! Cookie cutters!?”_ Needless to say she was astonished – she didn’t think her parents were into making Halloween shaped cookies. Though they were well kept, they were definitely older compared to the plastic ones found in stores nowadays.

But a discovery within the wooden box made her smile split her face. “A howling wolf! Perfect!” she exclaimed. She took it out and put everything else back where she found it. There wasn’t any grime on the relic tool, but it got a thorough washing anyway. She coated the edges with powdered sugar so it wouldn’t stick to the dough, and soon she was making wolf cookies like a machine. Before long the first two batches were in the oven. The cutting, cooking and cooling process continued until the last crumb of dough was used. In between each batch she cleaned the kitchen a little at a time so she wouldn’t have a massive mess to deal with at the end.

“There we go. Good cook, clean kitchen.” she praised herself before patting herself on the back. But the gratifying action caused a little flour cloud to arise and go into her nose. “AH-AH-ACHOO! **sniff**I’d better make myself a clean cook too. But first things first.” She washed her hands, grabbed one of the cooled cookies and took a generous bite.

“MMMMMM!” Her tongue savored every sweet, delicious morsel. “Yep! Heart shining through!” she beamed as she finished off the rest of the cookie. _“I’d better stop before I eat half of these”_ she thought before going upstairs to her room to take a shower.

After a couple minutes she came back down wearing a darker colored attire and her hair done up in the loose werewolf style. She looked at the clock. “Not too late, it’s only eight. I’ll be in and out before they know it” she decided before sending her parents a text saying she was going to her friends’ house. Thankfully they didn’t ask which one, though there were only two options: Bree or Zed. She was just glad that they trusted him enough to allow her to go over to his house. “ _Soon_ _it’ll be three options_ ” she thought before grabbing a few empty Danish butter cookie tins, her father’s guilty pleasure, and started packing up the wolf cookies. Soon there were only three left after all four tins were filled to the brim.

 _“…I think I over did it. Oh well, at least they’ll have some leftovers”_ she thought. She eyed the remaining cookies and ate one of them. “ _Alright, I really need to stop. Guess I’ll pack these up for tomorrow_ ” but another thought shot into her mind like an arrow. “ _Well…it couldn’t hurt_ ” and she grabbed two small flower patterned saucers and put the cookies on them. Then she got a couple of mugs and set them down as well. She took out a pen and a piece of paper from her backpack on the floor and wrote, **“Enjoy! Love Addison”** in the fanciest writing she could muster. _“Never thought I’d do something like this. Well, time to get a move on.”_

She went back upstairs to empty her cheer duffle bag in order to pack the tins. “Keys, cookies, jacket” and she felt the material – not too heavy and not too light – “and phone. Now I’m set.” Slinging the bag across her body, she leaves the house and locks the front door. “Time to test my memory and sense of direction.” With her resolve set she headed towards the forest.

* * *

**_Two hours later…_ **

The sound of a jiggling handle disrupts the silence of the empty house. Walking in are two utterly weary adults whose joints crack with every step.

“I’m going to seriously consider replacing all the chairs with exercise balls. I don’t care who you are, no one is meant to sit for that long” Missy moaned as she set her purse down on the living room coffee table and stretched her cramped arms up.

“I agree, but we’ll have to at least lay down for a little while to finish this proposal” Dale reminded her as he loosened his tie.

“Don’t remind me” she irritably uttered.

“Regular coffee then?” he asked.

“Please and thank you.”

“You got it” and he walked towards the kitchen.

Before Missy could walk upstairs to their bedroom Dale yelled, “Missy! Come here!”

“You don’t have to shout Dale, I’m right here” she replied while rubbing her temple. Though she stopped her kneading when she saw the sight in front of her. “What?” she breathlessly asked.

“Looks like our daughter left us a little late night pick me up to go with our coffee” Dale smiled. Missy couldn’t help but remain in her stunned state of mind; this was completely unexpected.

He picks up his cookie and looks over the unusual shape. “A wolf. Somehow I’m not surprised. I wonder where she bought the cookie cutter, we don’t exactly celebrate Halloween here” he commented before taking a bite. Immediately his eyes lit up. “HMMMM! These are amazing!” and he scarfed his down. “If you don’t hurry up and get yours, it will be devoured. I can **guarantee** you that” he semi-threatened and that snapped her out of it. She picked up the cookie and bit off the top of the muzzle. Her eyes lit up just like Dale’s, not only because of the exceptional taste but also recognizing the recipe.

 _“…I can’t believe we still had that card”_ she thought before chuckling to herself.

“What’s so funny? Did she put some tickle powder in those cookies?” he joked.

“No, no. I was just thinking if she won or lost the snowball fight” she wistfully answered.

“Snowball fight?”

“I’ll explain later. For now I need some coffee. Stat.”

“Right away.” He got the “late night” blend and put it in the brewer. As the delectable smell filled the house Missy pondered, “ _I wonder why she made these in the first place?_ ” but decided it wasn’t important. Addison actually thought of them. Not only with the cookies, but also with the nice set-up. She couldn’t stop the small grin if she wanted to.

Suddenly a **PING PING DING** from both of their phones ended her internal revelry. Dale still had his phone in his pocket and took it out. He entered his code to unlock it and looked at the screen for a couple seconds.

“ **WHAT**?!” he shouted.

“What?!” Missy asked. He handed her his phone and she looked at the message. “ **WHAT**?!!”

* * *

**"What?!" indeed. What happened? How did Addison's declaration treat go over with the wolves? Stay tuned!**

**Also have a safe and Happy Halloween however you can.**

**Thank you for all the kudos! Comments and critiques are more than welcomed!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: mentions of nudity in this chapter.  
> Also at the double lines, listen to "You are my Life" by Michael Jackson if you'd like.

**_Meanwhile…_ **

“AH!” Addison yelped when her hair attracted the unwanted attention of a dried tree branch. She pulled out the snagged twigs and leaves. “So much for getting there unscathed. I’m going to end up looking like some kind of wood nymph instead of a werewolf” she muttered. Despite the inconspicuous stains caused by snags and a spill onto some slick grass, she was actually making great time. She already passed claw rock so she knew she was half way there. “ _Hopefully I’ll have enough juice to get back”_ she thought as the flashlight app on her phone continued to illuminate the trail.

She kept walking along the dirt path until something caught her eye. _“Hey…those look like footprints. My footprints!”_ she excitedly thought when she recognized the sole pattern of the shoes she wore earlier today. With new found vigor she sprinted along the clay route until the familiar stony area came into view.

“Guess I’ll be fine for the return trip after all” she smirked to herself when she saw she had seventy percent left on her phone and that it was only 9:00pm. She turned it off to conserve it. After readjusting her satchel of goodies, she carefully walked into the multi-colored lit sanctuary, being mindful of the damp surface. She definitely didn’t want to slip and injure herself. _“This feels like a reverse version of Little Red Riding Hood”_ she realized the closer she got to the center of the den. 

Howls, cheers, and abundant laughter echoed off the decorated walls, bringing a smile to her face; she was eager to see what kind of rambunctious revelry they were getting into. Soon she finally made it to the entrance of the main area, but hid behind some of the stones that formed the arch. She peered around and saw all of the wolves dancing with those long bamboo poles she saw the first time she came here. The moonstone created the perfect back light – pulsing with its life giving glow. It was felt like it was joining the celebration too.

Even though she had seen this jollity before, it felt different this time. For her there was sense of longing yet barely contained excitement. It was almost like waiting for Christmas. Counting all the wrapped presents underneath the tree, wondering what each one could be until the day finally arrived to find out. What she was seeing now was the wrapping paper, ribbon and bows. Once she passed these trials, she would be more than grateful to receive the precious gift.

She was so caught up in the display and her thoughts that she didn’t hear someone sneak up behind her until a voice spoke, “You can join in too y’know.”

Addison gasped and quickly turned around with a fist formed. But she hit nothing but air.

“Missed me!” Wynter grinned while sticking out her tongue.

“H-Huh? Wynter?!” Addison exclaimed.

“Yep, that’s my name.”

“But…how did you know I was here? And how’d you get behind me?” she whispered.

“We’re werewolves remember? We smelled ya as soon as you entered our den, though it’s kinda different now” she commented before getting closer and sniffing around her. Addison backed up a bit, still not used to someone being in her personal bubble. She clutched the handle of her bag a little tighter. Wynter’s eyes widened just a bit when she caught a whiff of something familiar. “Hmmm…well, you still smell good. Anyway Willa sent me out to welcome you, so I snuck around using one of our other tunnels. Though I made sure not to get hit like she did” she explained.

“Oh…sorry about that. Bad habit” she apologized while sheepishly scratching the back of her head, inadvertently getting another small twig out.

“No, good habit. You’ll need to scrap at any moment” Wynter refuted.

“But not with my friends” she corrected.

“Yea, that’s true” Wynter agreed.

“But at least now I understand why you guys sneak around; it’s how you hunt. It’s your nature” she realized.

“Yep! That’s how we roll! But we also like to do it for fun too. Speaking of, what’re you waiting for? Get in there!” she grinned before adding an enthusiastic “Welcome!”

“W-Wait don’t I have to” but Addison’s stuttering questions were cut off when Wynter grabbed her shoulders, spun her around and roughly pushed her inside. Thankfully she managed to stay upright. Everyone stopped their activities and looked at her. The older wolves had welcoming fanged smiles on their faces. However, the younger ones were curious enough to sniff the air, but cautious to the point of grabbing and hiding behind a leg of whoever was nearby.

“Um…h-hi” she meekly waved.

“About time you walked in here white hair” Willa smirked before walking up to her. “Why were you just standing there anyway?”

“Well…I-I mean I wasn’t sure what to do. I didn’t want to just barge in and interrupt, this is your den after all. Though I kinda did…didn’t I? Sorry about that.”

“You don’t have to apologize Addison” Wyatt assured.

“My brother’s right. Besides this is your den now too” Willa confirmed

“I-It is?” Addison asked.

“Well, yea. You’re still an honorary werewolf remember? Our home is your home” she replied.

“Yea! Mi casa es su casa!” Wynter chimed in, making her laugh. She looked around and saw everyone else giving approving nods and barks. “ _My home”_ she happily thought.

“By the way, I’m really proud of you” Wyatt suddenly said as he wrapped an arm around her.

“You are? Why?” she asked.

“You got here all by yourself, and in the middle of the night no less! Way to go!” he beamed and she smiled back.

“Not to sound rude, but why are you here in the middle of the night anyway? And why is your scent so…different? Did something happen at your house?” Willa asked and Addison could feel Wyatt’s grip on her shoulder tighten just a bit.

“Nothing bad happened, I promise. I just wanted to bring all of you something” she smiled.

“You wanted to what?” Willa repeated, a little skeptical of what she just heard because that’d be completely insane. Coming out here during peak predator hours just to bring them something?! Who does that?! Apparently she did.

Curiosity took over the pack and they all gathered around her as she unzipped her bag. When she took the lid off one of the tins, all of them got a big whiff of the delicious treats she made. Sheer delight filled Addison’s heart when she noticed the sparkle of giddy anticipation in their eyes.

“What are those?” one wolf panted, drool dripping from his tongue.

“Cookies! I made them myself. And check it out, they’re wolf shaped!” she proudly stated. 

“Um” and her attention was directed to a pup girl who had to be at least eight years old. Her skin tone was just a touch darker than Addison’s – sun-kissed by the forest lifestyle. A streak of snow white hair was a stark contrast to her long dark-brown locks, but it worked beautifully. She stepped from behind one of the teen’s legs and asked, “Wh-What are cookies?”

Some of the wolves looked at one another; most of them had never seen let alone eat a cookie before. 

Addison smiled and held the tin out to her, though she backed away momentarily. “It’s a little hard to explain, but I’d be really grateful if you tried one. I-I hope you like it.”

The girl looked at her younger pack mates, and they looked at one another. “Pff! If you’re too scared I’ll try one” a little boy declared. He had the same skin shade as Willa, and her bravado as well. Whether or not he was serious or just egging her on was a little hard to tell. His hair was braided into cool zig-zag pattern, with a white braid behind his right ear.

The girl huffed and replied, “I’m not scared!” and grabbed one of the cookies. She looked it over, admiring the shape of the howling wolf. She smelled it again before taking a little bite off the muzzle.

Addison grinned when she heard an “MMMMM!” come out of her throat before she voraciously devoured her treat.

“Did you like it?” she chuckled.

“Mm hm!” she replied while licking her lips. “Can I have another one please?”

“Hey! What about us?” “Yea, I want one too!” the other pups clamored; the littlest one hopping up and down with her hand in the air.

“Here, there’s plenty for all of you” Addison assured and handed the tin over to the girl.

“Thank you Addy” she smiled and graciously accepted it. “Yea, you’re awesome!” “Thanks so much!” the other pups expressed before going over to the other side of the main area. Each of them took turns grabbing a cookie and shoving it in their mouths, chewing and savoring each bite.

Addison smiled at that before getting bumped by Wynter. “Hey now, don’t leave us hanging! I want to try one of those wolf cookies” and the rest of the teens looked at her expectantly, even letting out a few whines.

Addison couldn’t help but chuckle; they looked like dogs awaiting a treat for following a command. “You got it” she giggled. She opened up another tin and held it out to them. They reached in with their surprisingly clean hands and took one. It filled her heart with absolute joy when saw their eyes light up after that initial bite before being fully consumed in a matter of seconds.

“These ARE good” Wynter happily admitted while licking her fingers.

“Yea! I think they’re better than Elder’s sweet bones” a wolf complimented. “These certainly are on par with’em” one wolf agreed. “Are there any more?” another asked.

“Sure are” and she opened another tin. An unexpected shiver went down Addison’s spine as the sweet aroma filled the area once again. She instinctively looked over at the pups and all of them had this look in their eyes. A small gulp went down her throat – she knew that look. It was the same gaze Wyatt had when he hunted that rabbit. _“…oh no”_ she thought. In the blink of an eye all of them ran over to her on all fours, pouncing and piling on top of her. Thankfully, depending on your perspective, Wynter grabbed the tin before the treats could be crushed.

“Ugggh” she groaned while she was being smothered. She managed to make eye contact with Wyatt, who merely grinned and shrugged. She frowned at him while blowing a couple of strands of hair out of her face. But she raised an eyebrow in confusion when she noticed that someone in particular wasn’t next to him anymore. _“Hmph, at least I know where I rank when it comes to food. Better brace myself for whatever **she** has in mind to do to me later”_ she thought and rolled her eyes at the predicament she was in. But it soon gave way to a resigned smile. She couldn’t stay mad at these crazy, lovable wolves if she tried. This is what she wanted after all, to have her adoration for them shine through. But they were starting to get heavy.

“Uh…a little help here?” she asked.

“Nope, sorry. They caught you” one wolf grinned as he grabbed a cookie from the tin being passed around.

“And you’re gonna have to deal with it” another one chimed in.

“Deal with what?” Her question was unfortunately answered when a boy with a mini faux hawk yelled, “NOW!” Immediately their little claws dug into her body, tickling her mercilessly. Surprisingly it didn’t hurt. Her laughter along with the pups’ made everyone grin and yip merrily.

However Wyatt wasn’t vocal with his happiness. Instead he gazed upon Addison with sheer fondness in his eyes. “ _She fits right in_ ” he lovingly thought. He was about to whisper his opinion to his sister, but she wasn’t there. He looked around and saw that she wasn’t even in the main area. _“Where’d she go?”_ he thought and started sniffing the air. It took a minute of sifting through everyone’s scent, but he finally located hers deeper in the den. _“…This isn’t like her. She be doubled-over laughing at the sight right now. I wonder what’s wrong.”_ His concerning thoughts were interrupted when Addison yelled in the midst of her giggles, “O-Ok, ok I give! I give!”

“Alright pups that’s enough” he commanded through his own chuckles.

They whined and reluctantly got off, finally allowing her to sit up and catch her breath. But the littlest one, a 4 year-old girl with cinnamon-colored skin and braided pig-tails, glomps onto her and nuzzles her face into her chest. She looks up at Addison and says, “Thank ku. You nice hooman.”

Addison smiled at her and ruffled her hair. “You’re welcome, and thank you for the compliment.” Soon the rest of the pups give her glomping hugs too and she’s back on the floor again. “Y’know, I think I can get used to this” she remarked as she was being lovingly smothered.

“You’d better, because it’s going to be happening to you **a lot** ” Wynter grinned.

“Then bring it on! Just…not all at once ok?” she added when she noticed a slight glow in some of the werewolves’ eyes.

“Aww…but that’s the best way” she whines and the other wolves nod in agreement.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get there” she assures. The pups get off of her and Wyatt helps her up. He brings her in close for what appeared to everyone else as a hug, but he whispers something into her ear. Her eyes widen and she gives the barest of nods. He nods back and ruffles her hair. “Sooo, I know I saw some of your dance moves at Prawn and all, but I also know that you were holding back. Show us some of those hidden wild moves you got” he challenged.

She smirked back and replied, “I don’t know…my moves are too hot to handle. They’ll blow your mind!”

“Is that so? Well color me intrigued” Wynter grinned before starting a clapping beat. The rest of the wolves add to it too. Soon it was an awesome rhythm that could rival any studio production. She grabbed her bag and set it off the side before busting out a couple of spinning backflips and other moves, garnering a lot of hollering and howling. Soon other werewolves joined in and they picked up right where they left off. Wyatt internally thanked her for the distraction and snuck away while they had their fun.

He walked down the large cavernous corridor of the den until he came to an enormous burrow-like room. It had bunched up fur pelts all over the floor. Near the opposite wall was the person he was searching for, despite her best attempts to hide and be inconspicuous by wrapping herself up in fur blankets.

“Willa” he whispered.

“Go away Wyatt” she growled back.

Although he couldn’t smell any tears, her voice was thick with agitated emotions. It wouldn’t take much for the dam to break so he knew he had to tread cautiously. Ignoring her demand he slowly approached her on all fours. When he was halfway there and didn’t get a warning growl not to come any closer, he took it as an invitation to keep on going. Soon he was sitting right next to her. He glanced at her exposed hands, gingerly holding one of Addison’s treats. There wasn’t a single bite taken out of it.

“…Not hungry?” he asked.

After a few minutes she replied, “It’s not that. It’s…its stupid.”

“If it’s bothering you then it’s not stupid. Please tell me what’s wrong. I hate seeing you like this and I want to help.”

“Hmph…at least you do” she muttered.

“Huh?”

“Other than you, no one even noticed that I left!”

“That’s not true” he refuted.

“Really? Because I can hear all of them right now having another dance party” she scoffed.

“That’s because I asked Addison to cover for me” he explained.

“…What?”

“I didn’t want to make a big deal of you being gone because I knew something was wrong. So I asked…well…egged her on to show everyone her “wild” moves” he elaborated.

“Pfft! She has wild moves?” she chuckled.

“She does actually, but that’s beside the point. She noticed you were gone too. At first she thought you were hiding somewhere, trying to pounce on her again” he grinned.

Willa opened her mouth to refute that notion, but no words came out. Under normal circumstances she would’ve relished the opportunity, but now…it seemed wrong. “**sigh**She would’ve been right…had I felt like it.”

“What’re you feeling now?” Wyatt asked.

She looked away and uttered, “I don’t even know. I see Addison getting pounced on by the pups and it just makes me feel…inadequate. I don’t know why I feel like this!” she growled in frustration as she yanked the pelt off of her head and threw it to the other side of the room.

Wyatt was quiet for a few seconds, watching her breathe rapidly through her fangs. “Willa. Are…are you jealous?”

“Of Addison!? Are you out of your mind!? Why would I be jealous of her!?” she barked.

“Let me finish!” he barked back, leveling his glare against hers.

“Fine, but this better make sense” she warned.

“It will. I didn’t say you were jealous of Addison. If that were the case you wouldn’t have even let her attempt the trials, let alone come into our territory. I was going to ask if you were jealous of the way the pack treats her, especially the pups” Wyatt clarified.

She stared at him for a couple minutes, the party still echoing along the den walls. She sighed and stared at the cookie that she surprisingly didn’t crush. “I guess I am” she finally admitted.

“Why?” he asked.

“You saw the way the pups gravitated towards her. And just like that no less!” she extenuated with a snap of her fingers. “And it’s not just them, the rest of the wolves are like that too. Being completely at ease with her. They…they’ve never like that with me. And I’m the alpha, a werewolf, someone that they know and trust.”

“Exactly.” Wyatt confirmed.

“Huh?” Willa asked.

“Like you said, we trust you. You protect us, provide for us, and help us when we’re hurting. Just like an excellent leader and a treasured friend. But…I also know that you don’t like to be seen as weak, that’s why you hide when you’re feeling down.”

She huffed at the last part of his statement. She started to open her mouth to refute it, but he held up his hand. “You can call it meditation or whatever you want, but I’m not blind Willa. Why would you be here then huh? All wrapped up and alone when not all that long ago you out there dancing and having fun with us?”

“…Reasons” she quietly replied. Silence reigned between them again for a moment.

“…Would one of those reasons be that you’re not seen as approachable?” he ventured.

“…Maybe” she partially admitted. “Addison makes everyone around her feel comfortable.”

“But so far that’s with playing. You make everyone feel secure no matter what we do. Do you think our pack would take you seriously if you just played all the time?” he questioned.

“…No” she answered.

Wyatt grabbed her free hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, making her look at him. He showed her a small smile and commented, “See? Approachable.”

She scoffed and replied, “That doesn’t count. You’re my brother.”

“True. But I still felt at ease enough to come near you, even though you told me to go away.”

“Or you’re just that stubborn” she countered.

“So are you. If Elder Usawa was here right now, you know what she’d say?”

Willa sighed and replied, “Scratch off those stinkin’ thinkin’ fleas.”

“Yep” he simply replied, making her go quiet again. “Willa. Addison isn’t doing anything to take us away from you.”

“I know that! It’s just…and what I saw-”

“Addison is still feeling things out with us, just like what we’re doing with her. We’re figuring out what her boundaries are so we don’t cross any lines, and vice versa. Though I think it’ll take a while. She’s so excited right now that she doesn’t mind the…the…”

“Chaos?” Willa finished.

“I was gonna say affectionate gestures, but yeah” he amended, getting a tiny grin out of her.

“**sigh** I hate it when you’re right” she muttered. Wyatt smiled at that because he knew it was her way of saying _“Thank you_ ”. “Still…I want the pack to be comfortable with me like that.”

“You want to know how?” he offered.

“How?” she asked.

“Do what Addison did” he suggested.

“What, make cookies?” she disbelievingly asked.

“No. Just say “I love you” in however way you want” he corrected.

“What? She never said that!” she refuted.

“Yea she did, through her cookies. She poured her heart into making these treats and you can taste it” he explained.

Willa skeptically eyes her un-eaten cookie. “You’ve got to be kidding. That’s just sappy” she replied.

“If you don’t believe me, then take a bite. Of course if you **_really_** don’t want it, I’ll take it” but she pushes him away when he tries to reach for it. He chuckled when he landed on his back. Willa just rolled her eyes at him before bringing the cookie to her lips. She takes a tiny bite off the tip of the tail and chews the piece of sugary goodness.

Wyatt smiled when he saw her eyes light up and she hastily devoured the rest. “I’m guessing you liked it” he cheekily grinned as he watched her lick her fingers.

“…It was alright” she partially admitted. “Too bad they’re probably all gone now” she whispered to herself, but Wyatt still heard her. Taking that as a victory in and of itself he stood up and offered her his hand. “Ready to go back out?”

“…No” she answered. 

“No?”

“I don’t want the pack asking me a bunch of questions as to why I wasn’t in there. I’ll just stay here and fluff out the pelts before I go on patrol. That’ll…that’ll be my way of saying “I love you” she explained. 

He did a double take before smiling at her. “Then I’ll help too” he offered, still holding his hand out. She graciously grabbed it and he pulled her up. However he was taken aback for a moment when she pulled him in, giving him the biggest hug she could muster. He quickly got out of his stunned state of mind and returned the embrace wholeheartedly.

“Thank you Wyatt” she expressed.

He smiled and replied, “See? Like I said, approachable” before giving her a lick on the forehead, making her chuckle. “C’mon, let’s get these fluffed out.”

They shook out the pelts, getting rid of any debris caught in the fur. Then they raked them with their nails, making them comfortable to lay on. However they noticed that the sound from the main area was getting quieter and quieter.

“Sounds like the party is coming to an end” he commented.

“Good thing we’re almost done” she replied as she combed through another pelt. Just as they finished shaking out the last one, they heard a loud howl coming from the main area.

“Goodbye? Who’re they saying…no. No way!” Willa rushed out of the room with Wyatt hot on her tail. They almost crashed into the pack in the corridor.

“There you two are!” Wynter exclaimed. “At first I thought you guys were just getting a drink to wash down those delicious cookies, but you guys were gone waaay too long.”

“Why didn’t you tell us you needed a break from the party?” one wolf asked.

“Yea, we could’ve kept it down. We know you have to do your patrol tonight alpha” another wolf added.

Willa couldn’t help but do a double take at the concern they expressed. “… _They **did** notice. They really did. God I’m such an idiot!” _she mentally chastised herself.

Wyatt gave his sister a little shoulder nudge, breaking her out of her self-depreciating thoughts. She looked at him and he gave her a little smile, albeit a cheeky one. In this instance she didn’t mind – she deserved it for letting those stinkin’ thinkin’ fleas latch onto her in the first place. “Don’t worry about it, we didn’t want to interrupt your fun. Willa took it upon herself to fluff out the pelts” Wyatt explained.

“You did?” Wynter asked.

“I did, and Wyatt helped out too. They’re nice and soft for all of you” she smiled.

“Aww! Thanks you guys!” Wynter grinned as she grabbed them and gave them a bone-crushing hug.

“Y-You’re welcome” Willa gasped out and they were promptly let go.

“I’m so sorry! Bad wolf! Bad wolf!” she chastised herself.

“It’s alright Wynter, you’re not a bad wolf. Strong, but not bad” she assured.

“Really?” she asked.

“Really” Willa smiled. Wynter happily shuffled a bit in place at the compliment.

The alpha looked at the rest of the pack. Even though it was plain to see the exhaustion in their eyes, they also displayed the gratitude they had for her and her brother. She got another nudge from him, hearing “See? Approachable” echo in her mind. But the sentiment disappeared when she remembered why they were running out of that room in the first place. “By the way, where’s Addison?”

“She just left” a wolf answered.

“What?!” both siblings exclaimed.

“Yea, we offered to walk her home–” the wolf explained.

“Insisted actually” Wynter added.

“–But she was really adamant about doing it on her own, especially when she saw how tired the pups were.”

Willa and Wyatt looked down at the pups; they looked like they were about to collapse and fall asleep right then and there. If they weren’t holding the hands of some of the older wolves they probably would’ve. “We didn’t want to make her feel incompetent, so we reluctantly let her go” the wolf finished.

“…I see” Willa understood.

“Y-You’re not mad are you?” Wynter asked.

“Of course not. If Addison’s going to do these trials she needs to build her confidence. And getting to and from our den is one way to do it” she explained.

“But Willa…y’know how dangerous it is at night” Wyatt reminded her.

“We tried to tell her that too” one wolf added.

“I know, that’s why I’ll be tailing her” she replied.

“Huh?” everyone asked.

“I’m guessing you guys promised not to follow her?” and they nodded. “Well, I didn’t. Besides how dare she leave without saying goodbye to me!” she growled.

Wyatt grinned at the loop hole she exploited and that she’d taken the bait. “ _Hopefully Addison didn’t wander off too far_ ” he thought.

“Alright, you guys get some sleep. I’ll be back soon” she assured.

“Ok**yawwwnnn**good night alpha.” “Yea, goodnight.” “Be safe out there.” were some of the verbal endearments spoken to her.

“I will. Sweet dreams everyone” she smiled. All of them gave her and Wyatt some form of physical gesture, from hugs to head ruffles before heading towards the sleeping area. “Get some rest brother, you earned it” she urged. He nodded and gave her one last lick on her forehead before leaving to catch up with the others.

“ _Alright, time to find white hair before something else does_.” Taking a deep breath, she channels the moonstone energy into her body. Her irises turn yellow and all of her senses are heightened to the extreme. She gets on all fours and sprints out of the den. Once outside she leans her head down to smell the ground. **sniff sniiiff sniff** “Found you” and ran in the direction Addison’s scent was coming from.

Thankfully she didn’t have to run very far. A little ways off the main trail she found her laying comfortably against a tree – almost about to fall asleep herself.

“ _Seriously_?!” Willa thought. Her irritation bled into her vocal chords when she shouted, “Addison!”

“H-Huh? Oh, hey Willa” she greeted before a yawn escaped her lips. She didn’t even get a chance to fully stand up before Willa tore into her. “What the-what’re you doing out here!? Why are you hiding? Did something see you? Look, I know you want to prove how capable you are but going off by yourself was extremely dangerous! Only an alpha can go out at night by themselves-”

“I know” Addison managed to say in the middle of her concerned rant. 

“And why didn’t…wait…you knew what?” the alpha asked.

“I knew that you’d be out here. Wyatt told me that the alpha does a quick patrol of the area, scaring away any potential threats while the pack slept. I actually heard you come out of the den. I was going to howl to let you know where I was, but I decided to let you find me with your keen sense of smell instead” she explained while brushing the debris off of her.

“Why?” Willa asked.

“First, I didn’t want to say something stupid again. Second, I didn’t want to let the rest of the pack know I was still here after telling them I left.”

“…Why?” she asked again.

“I…I wanted to talk to you. Alone” she confessed.

Willa flinched a bit when Addison carefully grabbed her hands. She watched with nervous fascination as she rubbed her thumbs over the backs of them. “Willa.” When the alpha met her gaze, she was startled at the apprehension in her eyes. “I-I’m sorry for upsetting you. I swear I meant no disrespect, you have to believe me!” Addison profusely apologized.

“W-Wait what? I don’t understand” Willa replied trying to comprehend this sudden outburst.

“After the pups got off of me, Wyatt pulled me up and whispered that you were gone. At first I thought you were going to pounce on me, but he said that you weren’t playing. You really disappeared. He told me you only act like that if something was wrong. So I figured I did something wrong by bringing cookies to the pack” she explained with such a sad look in her eyes.

 _“…He planned this”_ she realized, but her annoyance was instantly replaced with gratitude. Now she could set the record straight. “Well…you were definitely wrong” and the white haired girl shuddered a bit. “Wrong about the reason I was upset.”

“H-Huh?”

“**sigh**In the end it was a stupid reason – it’s not even worth mentioning. But it had nothing to do with you” said Willa.

“R-Really?” Addison dared to hope.

“Really” she assured with a fanged smile. Addison’s forlorn look disappeared in an instant as a relieved smile graced her face. “Can I ask you something though?”

“Sure” Addison prompted.

“Why did you make us cookies? Don’t get me wrong, we appreciate it and all but…why?” the alpha asked.

Addison took a deep breath to steady her nerves and replied, “Y’know…Wynter asked the same thing, and I get it. I know you guys still don’t trust people and I hope I wasn’t out of line when I asked to take your pack’s trial. I don’t take this lightly and please don’t think of the cookies as a bribe – I truly didn’t mean to have it come across like that. It’s just…I really do care about you guys. I wanted to show that I really appreciate the opportunity to become a part of your pack. And…and I thought I wouldn’t be able to convey that with just words. That’s why I made the cookies. I remembered my mom telling me that anything that comes from the heart will shine through and be appreciated, no matter what it was. Though…I guess I should’ve asked if wolves like sugar cookies instead of taking a gamble like that. But that’s what I want to do! I want to learn how to be a wolf…even though I’m not one. I want to know what you guys like and dislike, what’s true and untrue so I don’t offend anyone, and learn your beautiful language. I want to know about you.”

Before Willa could even begin to formulate an acceptable response to her heartfelt answer, Addison let go of her hands. She whined a little when her warmth was taken away. She kneeled down next to her bag and pulled out one of the tins. Facing her again she said, “I noticed that you only had one before you disappeared. I managed to save you a few…if you want’em that is.”

Willa looked inside the tin when she opened it, seeing five in there. How she was able to save them was beyond her, given how the pack devoured them on the spot.

But…it was still a lot to take in.

For all intent and purposes here was still a complete stranger wanting to befriend herself and the pack. Out of her free will and not pressured into it. As a werewolf and especially as an alpha, it was hard to let her guard down after hearing the stories of what their kind went through. But…was she willing to hold that against Addison? That’d make her no better than the humans – judging based on preconceived notions. After a minute of debating with herself she spoke, “Yea…you should’ve asked if we liked cookies. But I’ll admit that they turned out…alright. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome!” she smiled, especially since she didn’t waste any time scarfing down the rest of them. Seeing her enjoy them, even down to the last crumb on her claws, was the real testament in her eyes.

“I smell you have more” she sniffed the air and eyed her cheer bag.

Addison held her arm out and replied, “Hold on a sec! It’s only three, and they’re for Wyatt since he didn’t get as many as the rest of the pack either.”

“He doesn’t need them” she refuted.

“Now you’re just being greedy” she countered, pointing a finger at her.

“It’s not my fault you made them so good!” Willa defended, crossing her arms.

“Ooooh! So they’re more than alright now huh?” she teased as she grabbed the bag and zipped it up.

“As your alpha I command you give them to me!” she growled.

Seeing where this was going she started to back up. “Nope, that won’t work. I’m not part of the pack yet” she reminded.

“Then forget the trials!” now she was walking towards her.

She stuck her tongue out and shouted, “Nuh uh, it has to be fair!” before sprinting off in a random direction.

Willa grinned at her futile attempt to escape and her eyes turned yellow. She easily caught up to her and yelled, “How’s this for fair?!” before pouncing on her.

“GUH!” she grunted as she was pinned to the floor for the umpteenth time tonight. But like all the other times it didn’t hurt; thank God the pack was gentler than they appeared to be. Though that didn’t make them any less ferocious. And Willa displayed that by giving her an unrelenting tickle attack.

“H-Hey! Cut it out! I-I can’t take it!” she laughed.

In a flash Willa grabbed the bag off of her body and howled in victory.

“C-Cheater!” Addison wheezed out as Willa got off of her.

“I call it being opportunistic” she corrected as she helped her up and dusted the dirt and grass off her clothes.

“Riiight. Jeez, you’re just like the pups” she pointed out.

“Who do you think taught’em?” she grinned.

“Fair point. At least I’m not the one who’s going to deal with an annoyed brother. I am not responsible if he does that to you” she warned.

“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. And I was just messing with you; I’m not going to eat them” she assured.

“…Uh huh” she skeptically replied as she watched her take the cookie containing tin out of the bag.

“You doubt the words of an alpha?” Willa asked, quirking an eyebrow up.

“No! Of course not! Of a cookie loving sister…ehhhh” and she playfully punches Addison’s arm and gives her back her bag.

“You really are something white hair” she smirked.

“Why thank you alpha” she smiled back before another yawn came out. “Well, I’ll be heading back now.”

“No you’re not” Willa declared.

“Huh?”

“You’re staying at the den tonight. And I’m not taking no for an answer” the alpha firmly asserted while crossing her arms.

“What?! Willa, are you sure? It’s not that late” Addison took out her phone, turned it back on and looked at the home screen. “See? It’s only 9:45pm. It only took me hour to get here so I’ll-”

“Didn’t you hear me?” she barked, startling her into silence. “I said I’m not taking **no** for an answer. I wasn’t kidding when I said it’s dangerous out here. There are plenty of animals that would love to have you as a late night snack. As alpha it’s my job to keep everyone in the pack safe, including you. Regardless if you’re a werewolf or not. You’re still an honorary member and our den is still your home” she finished.

Addison was stunned. Her passion and sense of responsibility deeply impressed her. Still…she knew her parents wouldn’t approve of this, but at the same time they **definitely** wouldn’t like it if she were eaten either. And she didn’t want to take Willa away from the den to be her escort, that’d be downright selfish. “Alright, I’ll stay” she relented.

“Good” Willa nodded approvingly before wrapping her arm over her shoulders. “Also, consider it punishment for not saying goodbye to me or my brother earlier” and she poked her face with her finger.

“What? I was going to see you” she argued.

“Well I didn’t know that! I thought you just ditched us” she countered.

“…True. I’m sorry Willa.”

“I forgive you, just don’t do it again.” Addison did a double take before she started chuckling. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, I’m just really happy that you care about me” she smiled.

Willa quickly adverted her gaze and said, “Don’t get it twisted white hair, I just needed to have a body count. That’s it.”

“Uh huh, whatever you say alpha” Addison grinned, her façade not fooling her in the slightest.

“C’mon let’s go” Willa ordered and she grabbed her hand to lead her back.

Their walk back passed by a little too quick for Willa’s liking. Once again a little indiscreet whine escaped her lips when she had to let go of her hand. They entered the main area and she pointed to the corridor. “Just head down there and go into the first room on your left. Or follow the snoring sounds, trust me you can’t miss it” she explained.

“Got it. I’m just going to head up there to see if I can get a signal for my phone” Addison replied, pointing to the stairs leading to the lookout deck. “I need to let my parents know where I’ll be for the night. … _Hopefully it’ll end well_ ” she quietly muttered.

“Alright then, good night white hair.”

Before she left Addison questioned, “Heeey…wait a second. Where do you think you’re going with that?” and she pointed to the tin in her hand.

“Right here” Willa huffed and put the tin in a little nook in the wall that had an illuminated rune above it. “Happy?” she asked a little irritated.

“Very” Addison smiled. “Be safe out there, okay?”

Willa was momentarily caught off guard by her concern for her, but confidently grinned and replied, “You know it. Sweet dreams” before taking off in a flash.

 _“Whoa…she’s fast. Hopefully I won’t have to fight her for my combat trial”_ Addison thought. She went up the stairs to the lookout point. A chill breeze blew past her as she gazed upon the illuminated townscape as well as the shimmering lake in the distance. “ _Well…here goes nothing_ ” she gulped as she took out here phone. Again, depending on your perspective, it was either a good or bad thing that she actually had service. She pulled up her parent’s numbers and created a group chat.

<Hey mom. Hey dad. I’ll be spending the night at the werewolf den. They’re the friends I went to go see.> After taking another deep breath, she hit send. The breeze got a little stronger, whipping her hair up a bit. She almost dropped her phone when it vibrated with an immediate reply. Without looking at the screen she already knew they weren’t pleased. “ _I wonder if that breeze was them shouting at me_ ” she wondered.

She looked at the message from Missy. <What do you mean you’re at the den?! Why are you out in the Forbidden Forest anyway!? And at this hour?! That’s who you made the cookies for?!>

Deciding to focus on the positive of her mother’s reply she texted back, <Yes. I left some out for you and dad because I knew you’d be home late. I thought you could use a pick me up. Did…did you like them?>

A couple seconds go by before her phone vibrates again. <They were absolutely delicious but that’s beside the point! We’re coming to get you right now!> Dale replied.

<Dad no! You don’t know where the den is unless you know the landmarks.> she wrote back.

<Then we’ll meet you by the broken fence.> Missy texted back. 

<Mom, I can’t go out into the forest this late. Willa said other animals hunt at night.>

<What?! This is insane!>

<I assume your wolf friends have experience in dealing with these other animals right? Why can’t she or someone else take you to the fence then?>

<Because she’s the alpha! She has to stay and protect the pack, and that includes me. I’m an honorary member. Not to mention they’re asleep right now and there are children here. I can’t ask her to leave them. Being in the den is the safest place for me.> she reasoned.

This time there wasn’t an immediate response, which meant that they were **_hopefully_** considering it. Addison started pacing back and forth on the deck, trying to work out this nervous energy.

Suddenly her phone vibrates. She quickly unlocks the green bubble and looks at the message…only to see it was a PostBook ad. “Oh c’mon! Really?!” she groaned but another message comes right after. <…Alright. You can stay. But you text us the second you wake up and the second you come home, understand?>

Addison couldn’t help but grin and giddily bounce in place. <I promise! Good night mom, good night dad.>

<Good night Addison. Sleep well.>

She let out the biggest sigh of relief in her entire life. She turned off the phone to conserve power and walked down the stairs. Soon she was right in front of the wide corridor entrance. _“Willa and Wyatt weren’t kidding”_ she thought when she heard growling snores coming from down there, but she was strangely excited. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that she’d be sleeping in a cave, let alone a werewolf den. Well, as the old saying goes, “Live long enough and you’ll see just about anything”. And she had the greatest opportunity to see and learn a different side to them, slowly immersing herself into their ways. _“Or at the very least get a few hours of sleep”_ she thought as another yawn came out.

She walked down the dimly lit stone-built pathway, marveling at the painted hieroglyphic-like images. It felt like she was walking into an ancient temple. Soon she reached her destination. She crept into the room, eyes up and scanning the rather large area. There were a few holes in the walls to let in natural light as well as fresh air. “…I wonder if bugs get in through there” she gulped. The last thing she needed was a giant cockroach on her face, or accidentally eat some other insect.

However those fears were put on the back-burner when she noticed the massive mural of howling wolves on the ceiling – almost as if they were offering prayers of protection while the pack slept. “Whoooa” she whispered, a wide smile adorning her lips.

But…when her gaze shifted downward to look at the actual wolves, her mouth hung open in absolute shock. All of them were sleeping in what appeared to be a giant communal bed made of pelts. Having sleeping bodies cuddling or laying on top of each other is one thing, having **nude** bodies cuddling and laying on top of each other is something completely different. Every werewolf was naked, save for wearing their vests – which didn’t amount to much in her opinion. Thankfully the little pups wore some semblance of pajamas short bottoms, though their chests were bare. She looked over and saw all their clothes and shoes folded up and neatly put away in what she equated to cubby holes in the opposite end of the room.

 ** _“What in the world did I get myself into?!”_** she thought as she quickly looked down at the floor. Forget gradual immersion, this was like jumping off the highest diving board into the ocean. There was no way she could ever tell her parents about this. Shoot, there was **no way** she could even be here. But Willa commanded her to be here…so she’d make the best of it. She used her hands to create a visor over her eyes so she could scan the ground for a free pelt. In the midst of her frantic search she thought heard… whimpering?

 _“Huh? What was that?”_ Now she had a new target to find, and it didn’t take long to locate the source of the sounds. A pup bolted upright with a yelp, followed by erratic breathing. She recognized the long-haired girl, even in reduced lighting. The pup quickly looked around before her eyes met Addison’s. There was no mistaking the moist sheen covering them. She quickly looked away and brought her knees to her chest, trying to calm herself down.

Addison slowly walked over to her, making sure not to startle her again before sitting near her. “Hey…are you okay?” she gently asked.

The pup didn’t respond nor make any eye contact. Instead she curled up tighter on herself.

“…bad dream?” she follows up. With that she notices her shudder a bit, giving her the answer. “Yea…those aren’t fun” she agreed. Soft snores fill the air as she pauses her dialogue. She doesn’t even look at the pup, instead focusing on the mural above. “I’m glad your guardian wolves got rid of it” she said.

That comment causes the pup to loosen her grip on her knees. She looks over at Addison before following her gaze to the ceiling. Then she looks back at the white-haired teen again and starts walking on all fours towards her. She bumps her head against Addison’s arm and lets out a little whine. Their eyes meet again. The older girl smiles at her before wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She snuggles into her side and closes her eyes.

“…Do you want to talk about it?” Addison asks and she could feel her vehemently shake her head no.

“I-I’m a t-tough wolf, n-not scared of nothing” but the tears falling on Addison’s shirt contradict her shaky proclamation.

“…Y’know, I’m kinda scared right now” Addison admitted.

Sniffing back some snot the pup looks up at her with wet eyes and asks, “Y-You are?”

She looks down at her and hums. “Not of you guys. But being in a new place…away from my home…from my mom and dad” and she paused at that. Even though they were completely overbearing a few minutes ago, she was surprised to find her missing the familiarity of at least having their presence around. “…It’s overwhelming” she expressed.

The pup nodded in understanding. She used her hand to wipe her eyes and whispered, “I-I miss my mom and dad too. I know they said they’ll always be with me” and Addison noticed the way she tightly gripped her moonstone. “And I have my brother and we look out for each other…b-but…”

Impulsively Addison pulls her into her lap, rocking her as the tears continue to pour. The earlier discomfort of seeing the pack in their nude state vanishes in an instant. The only thing on her mind now was comforting the child nestled in her arms.

All of a sudden it dawned on her – why she felt such a strong sense of community within the pack. Everyone here were most likely **orphans** – all they had were each other. Sure they had the elder werewolves returning, but how many of them were left? And how many of them were actually directly related to someone in the pack? The old saying “it takes a village to raise a child” came to her mind. They may be strays, but they’re still family. Addison was absolutely honored that this little pup trusted her with such a personal piece of herself, even though they just met. And she aimed to prove that trust was well placed.

“Little one, can I ask what your name is?” she inquired.

“W-Wiley. Wiley Howlfitz” she whispered.

“That’s a cute name” Addison complimented and she felt her nod against her chest. “Can I ask you for a favor Wylie?” and she felt her nod again. “Can…can you be strong and brave for me? Like I said it’s a little overwhelming for me, but being next to you makes me feel better. Is it alright if I sleep next to you? Please?”

Wylie quickly got out of Addison’s lap, causing an **oof** to come out of her when she pawed her stomach a little too hard. She went over and grabbed the pelts she was laying on earlier. Addison put her jacket, shoes and socks into her bag and set it down where the packs’ clothes were. She marveled at how smooth and cool the floor was underneath her feet. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about feeling small stone shards through the pelts.

Soon both of them were snuggled together underneath the surprisingly soft fur blankets. “If it’s alright…can I sing a little? It helps me feel better.” Wylie nods and snuggled closer to her, letting a yawn escape her lips. Addison started to hum a bit as lyrics formed in her mind. In the quietest voice she could muster the words flowed out of her mouth, smoother and sweeter than any honey.

* * *

* * *

_Once all alone  
I was lost in a world of strangers  
A few to trust  
On my own, I was lonely_

Addison could feel Wylie grip her core a little tighter when those personal statements came out of her mouth. She smiled at that and lightly ruffled her hair before resuming her song.

_You suddenly appeared  
It was cloudy before but now it's all clear  
You took away the fear  
And you brought me back to the light_

_You are the sun  
You make me shine  
Or more like the stars  
That twinkle at night  
You are the moon  
That glows in my heart  
You're my daytime, my nighttime, my world  
You are my life_

Unbeknownst to the snuggled duo, the rest of the packs’ ears perked up to Addison’s singing. They kept their eyes closed and stayed in their sleeping positions – save for one. Wyatt gradually opened his eyes and slightly lifted his head up to witness the interaction between them.

_Now I’ll wake up every day  
With this smile upon my face  
No more tears, no more pain  
'Cause you love me  
You help me understand  
That love is the answer to all that I am  
And I'll, I’ll be your wolf friend  
Since you taught me by sharing your life_

As she sang the chorus again, more pack members joined Wyatt in wanting their eyes to experience this amazing and intimate concert. They heard Addison sing when she first came here, but this was completely different. Vulnerable yet powerful at the same time, almost like them. Not to mention this strange, tingling sensation they all felt. It wasn’t anything bad – quite the opposite. It felt like a warm, comforting embrace – just like what she was doing to Wylie right now. They couldn’t help but smile at the fluttering butterflies in their system, but Wyatt spotted something that looked completely unnatural.

 _“Is…is her hair glowing? No…it must be eyes playing tricks on me”_ he reasoned for as soon as he saw it, it disappeared as she sang the next verse.

_You gave me strength  
When I wasn't strong  
You gave me hope when all hope was lost  
You opened my eyes when I couldn't see  
Love was always here waiting for me_

* * *

* * *

Addison caught herself when her voice got a bit louder than she intended and glanced around to see if she disturbed the others. They managed to get back to their resting positions before she noticed. Sighing in relief she continued to sing the chorus a few times, punctuating the ending note with little howl.

The pack had to resist the urge to join her – they didn’t want to blow their cover. For once she didn’t say anything weird or obscene. In fact there was no literal translation – just an all-encompassing feeling of compassion and security. They watched as she lifted the pelts to check on Wylie.

 _“Fast asleep without at care in the world”_ Addison smiled with satisfaction and covered them back up. She glanced up one more time at the mural before closing her eyes – letting her mind arrive at the peaceful slumber station.

A few minutes go by as the pack watched the duo, ensuring that they were indeed asleep. All of the sudden the rest of the pups quietly crept over to them with blankets in hand. The older wolves couldn’t help but internally gush as the pups laid down around Addison, with Wyatt sporting the biggest grin. Eventually exhaustion crept back into their bodies making them close their eyes, giving them an even better sleep experience.

An hour or so goes by when Addison starts to stir. Beads of sweat slide down her back with more saturating the collar of her shirt. **Yawwnnn** _“When did it get so hot?”_ she grumbled as she opened her eyes, the blurry area coming into focus. She looked down at her pup – still fast asleep and nestled against her – before sitting up and looking around. “ _Oh…that’s why”_ she realized when she saw the new arrangement.

She couldn’t help but smile at how the rest of the pups were circled around them, almost protectively in a way. They may be small, but their bodies were like mini furnaces. She was actually surprised that Wylie didn’t have a drop of sweat on her considering how close she was to her. Now she understood why they slept naked. She may not go that far, but she definitely needed to do something or else she’d never get any sleep.

 _“…At least no one will see me. I’ll put’em back on in the morning before they wake up”_ she decided. Moving her hands underneath the back of her shirt, she unhooked her bra and pulled both of the damp garments off in one swift motion. She sighed in relief as the cool air passed over her moist skin. Then she folded up her clothes and flung them like a Frisbee towards the wall closest to her feet.

She tried to scoot over to give Wylie some room, in addition to being a tad uncomfortable being top-less near a child. However the pup wasn’t having it. She whined and sleepily latched back onto Addison, rubbing her head against her stomach. She fought back the giggles as the action tickled her. Once she urge subsided, she let out a relenting yet contented sigh and pulled the pelt back over them. After a few deep breaths she fell back asleep.

**click…clack…click…clack**

Wyatt’s ear twitched when he heard the soft sound of clacking boots walking down the corridor. He opened his mouth wide to let out a growling yawn. It took a minute for his night vision to re-adjust his eyes to the inky environment, but once they did he wasn’t surprised at what he saw. Everyone, including him, subconsciously got closer to Addison while they slept – forming the same protective circle as the pups did. He couldn’t help but chuckle, especially when he saw that he and Wynter were closest to her.

His mirth was interrupted when he heard a huffing bark from the entrance. He looked over and saw his sister standing there, scanning the arrangement. Wyatt internally sighed in relief; she didn’t appear to be injured. There was always that chance whenever she went out on patrol. That's why he made sure to train himself to listen out for her footsteps, even when she was tiptoeing. He signaled with his finger to head into the main area; she got the silent message and walked away. He quietly stood up and carefully stepped over his pack mates to exit the sleeping area. He caught up with his sister and quickly enveloped her in hug. “I’m glad you’re okay” he whispered before releasing her. “You are okay right?” he asked with his hands on her shoulders.

She smiled and replied, “Yes Wyatt, I’m ok. But why is Addison surrounded by everyone? Did something happen?” It wasn’t uncommon for wolves to huddle close together – they loved to snuggle, especially when it was cold. But given that it was the middle of spring and the specific shielding arrangement Willa saw, she deduced that someone needed to be comforted.

“You could say that” and he proceeded to tell her what he witnessed. She smirked a bit when she noticed the adoring look in his eyes as he described her voice. “I have no idea what prompted her to start singing though. But I do think it had something to do with Wylie.”

“Wylie? Why do you say that?”

“She was cuddled up next to her and it seemed she was singing specifically to her.”

“…I see. Well, we’ll get the details later. For now I’m glad everything is alright.”

“What about between you and Addison?” he asked.

“Huh?”

“You guys talked right? Is everything good?”

“Pfft, wouldn’t you like to know” she bit back.

“I would actually, since I set everything up” he cheekily grinned.

“Uh huh. Well thanks to your **meddling** , we did have a positive conversation” she replied.

“Want to elaborate?”

“Nope” she stated, popping the “P”.

“Figured as much. Well, so long as you’re good then that’s all that matters” and let it be.

 _“I’m more than good”_ she smiled to herself.

“What’re you smiling about?” he grinned.

“Nothing. Actually…hold on a sec.” She went over to the little nook in the wall and grabbed the tin. “Addison saved these for you. She said she noticed you didn't get as many as the rest of the pack” and she took off the lid revealing the last three cookies.

Wyatt’s grin got wider. _“She truly is amazing_ ” he thought. “Thanks sis. I’m actually surprised you didn’t eat them.”

“I had my fill” and she subconsciously licks her lips, remembering the tantalizing taste. “But don’t tempt me.”

“Too late” and he holds out one of the cookies for her.

“…Huh?”

“I want you to have one. Fill your mind and your belly with lovey goodness before bed” he smiled.

Willa just shook her head at the gushy message but graciously accepted the treat. “Thanks little bro.”

“You welcome big sis” they clinked the cookies together before devouring them in an instant, Willa even going so far as to lick the tin.

“Guess they’re more than alright huh?” he chuckled.

“I just don’t like to waste food” she refuted.

“Surrre, whatever you say” drawled out, earning himself a punch on the arm.

“C'mon you knucklehead” and both of them walked into the sleeping area.

“Goodnight sis” he whispered, giving her one last hug.

“Goodnight bro” and she returns the embrace. They let go and she watches him return to spot he was laying on before. Soon her gaze shifts over to Addison comfortably sleeping away. She hums contemplatively before taking her clothes off and storing them in her cubby hole.

She tip-toed across the polished floor, giving a gentle head ruffle to her pack mates. The effect was immediate; they stretch out a tiny bit and blissful rumbling growls filter through their chests. Satisfied with the results she settles down next to her brother and he instinctively drapes an arm over her abdomen. An exhausted yawn escapes her lips and her eyelids start to droop. Before they close she reaches her hand out to Addison and lightly ruffles her hair. She wasn’t too surprised to hear her hum in content.

“ _I’m just really happy that you care about me”_ her words ring in head.

“I could say the same thing about you white hair. Wonder what I’ll get to learn about you?” she smiled before she fell into a delightful cookie coma.

* * *

**Looks like the cookies were a big hit and Addison is slowly but surely getting used to werewolf ways. Tune in next time to find out what's her next adventure will be. I don't own Disney's Zombies or Michael Jackson's music catalogue. Just my imaginative capabilities.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: mentions of nudity, but nothing explicit.

**yawwnn…mmmm** The immortal bond between the Earth and the sun awakened the young alpha as its life giving rays filtered through the tiny holes of the stone sanctuary. Glancing upward, her blurry vision focused to behold the monumental mural of the howling guardians against the golden super-moon backdrop. Following their implied lead, Willa let out her own good morning howl. The ears of her pack-mates twitched in response to the tender sound. Yawns and growls were heard throughout the cavernous room as they stretched out their muscles, returning them to their limber state.

However, a few were determined to stave off the awakening process.

Everyone looked down and saw the pups sprawled out along the floor – still snoring away. Their protective circular arrangement folded onto their newly christened charge, becoming more of an oblong mosh pit. Seeing the pups still asleep didn’t surprise the teens; they could sleep through ten of those earth shattering tremors without any issue. However they were surprised to see Addison still sleeping despite all the activity going on around her –especially given her skittish nature. It worked out in their favor though, they got to enjoy the absolutely adorable sight.

“Awww! They’re so cute!” Wynter quietly gushed and everyone nodded at the sentiment.

A little smirk appeared on Willa’s lips – even she had to admit that it was pretty cute; though she’d never say it out loud. Wyatt on the other hand let his admiring smile articulate the multitude of delightful adjectives running through his head.

“As pleasant as this is, I have to say it’s a bit…weird” Willa whispered.

“Huh? How so?” Wyatt asked as he was taken out of his revering stupor.

“Even though this is her home now and I told her to stay, it’s just…surreal. Having someone here that isn’t a werewolf, being in our intimate space, and covered by the pups like its nothing. Like she was meant to be here” she elaborated and everyone hummed at that.

“Well, she will be soon enough” Wyatt fondly remarked.

“You’re right” she agreed and her brother did a double take.

“I am?” he asked.

“Well, yeah. Whatever Addison sets her mind to, she typically achieves it. She’s that stubborn, just like you” she explained, making him smile again. “Still, the pups would’ve been pouncing on everyone by now. We even woke up later than usual. I’m starting to think she put some kind of sleeping agent in those cookies.”

“Not unless you count **love** as a sleeping agent” he grinned and she rolled her eyes at the mushy remark.

“Sooo, are we going to leave them be for now?” Wynter asked.

“For now. We’ll deal with their pent up energy after we catch something to eat. Besides, I’m sure Addison’s tired from training and dancing with us yesterday. I have to admit, she has a lot more stamina than I originally thought.”

“She is full of surprises” Wyatt praised.

“I’ll be **very** surprised if she can handle playing with the pups” she replied. “Alright, let’s get ready. Wyatt, you’re staying behind to keep watch” she commanded and he had mixed feelings about that.

While the thought of spending the morning with Addison put a small smile on his face, it quickly morphed into a sour frown when he realized that he’d be tackled and nipped by overactive pups. He let out a low growl, garnering some sympathetic pats on the back and encouraging thumbs up from his pack-mates. But in the back of their minds they were glad it wasn’t one of them. It was a team effort to handle those pups. When they woke up early they were able to burn off some of their energy with play fighting. It also provided a nice warm up before the actual hunt. But now Wyatt was the lone solider going off to battle so to speak.

“Oh don’t be like that!” Willa huffed. “Don’t tell me my little brother afraid of some big bad pups?” she teased, making him growl indignantly. “Besides, if Addison can handle getting pounced on by me, she can handle them. And I know you’ll be there to protect her if they get too rough. Plus, what better way to wake up than experiencing “affectionate gestures?”

Wyatt couldn’t help chuckling at that. “True” he conceded.

“But you should wake her up though, just to get her from up under them. The last thing I want is for her to get accidentally scratched” and some of the wolves grimaced at that. It was always a point to put gloves on all the pups so they wouldn’t accidentally hurt themselves or others. But sometimes they forgot and they paid for it. A few of them sported some scars from their wild, unconscious actions. “If she wants to go back to sleep she can” she added.

“Alright” he agreed and crouched down near her head. But just as he was about to whisper “Good morning” into her ear, that strange yet similar scent tickled his nose, making him yip. Now he knew for certain that his senses weren’t playing tricks on him nor responding to his wishful thinking.

“What’s wrong?! Is she hurt?” Wynter whispered.

“No. She…she smells like us” he revealed.

Willa quirked an eyebrow up and quietly deadpanned, “Well **duh**. She’s sleeping in our den, in our pelts, surrounded by the pups. What’d you expect?”

“Not like that!” he bit back in a hushed tone. “Like she **_really_** smells like us! She has our scent! Check for yourself” he urged.

Willa internally groaned but did what was suggested to her. She leaned down near Addison’s neck and inhaled. Immediately her eyes widened. “See? I told you! She really is one of us!” he whispered.

“So that’s why!” Wynter quietly exclaimed.

“That’s why what?” Willa asked.

“I thought my nose was acting funny yesterday because I could smell our scent on her too. But I figured it was the cookies making her smell weird” she explained.

Still, Willa wasn’t fully convinced; she knew for a **fact** that they were the only werewolves around here. Not to mention she was **human**. It was impossible…yet she had it. Even if it was muted with a sugary cookie coating. Well…there was only one thing left to do to confirm whether or not this was legit.

 _“Good thing she’s asleep – she’d probably freak out for sure”_ she thought.

Willa effortlessly contorted her body so as not to disturb her or the pups and leaned her head down near Addison’s pelvic area. With a few deep inhales the answer was crystal clear. “…No way” she uttered as she stood back up. “She really does have our scent.”

At this point the pack couldn’t contain their curiosity and leaned down to smell Addison as well; all of them had the same wide-eyed reaction. In the midst of their own smell investigation, a blue light caught Willa’s eye. _“What the?”_ It was as fleeting as a field mouse but it drew her attention to the inert stone around Addison’s neck. At first she was going to chalk it up being a reflection of the sun’s rays, but at this point everything needed to be thoroughly investigated. She turned her irises yellow to focus on it and let out a tiny gasp. There was a slow, minuscule pulse emanating from it.

“What’re you looking at?” Wyatt asked when he noticed her eyes shift back from her wolf out.

“…I’m not sure, but there’s definitely more to white hair than meets the eye. And nose in this case.”

“I still can’t believe she has our scent” one wolf whispered.

“I know right?” another one agreed.

“How’s it that we didn’t notice this before when we first found her?” Wyatt wondered.

“Well, we were preoccupied y’know – what with trying to find our moonstone and all” Willa reminded. “And our senses were dulled a bit due to not being at full strength.”

“Right…that makes sense” he agreed and everyone nodded at that.

“But Addison is quite the anomaly. She’s a human, but smells like a wolf. Not to mention she didn’t change into one when she put on a **fully** charged necklace” one wolf summed up.

“I know, it’s definitely a mystery. But we’ll figure that out later. For now let’s get dressed, it’s a little chilly out there” she replied and everyone quietly walked over to their cubby holes, grabbed their clothes and walked out of the sleeping area to the main area. “Wyatt, I’ll need you to sweep the corridors and shake out the pelts once they wake up.”

“You got it big sister” he replied.

“Thank you” she smiled. They gave each other a little fist bump before she left to catch up with the others; some of them were already dressed.

“Hey Willa? When do you think our fur will finally grow in?” Wynter asked as she put her vest back on over her shirt.

The alpha stroked her arm, feeling the fine black hairs that covered it. “Hopefully soon” she answered.

“I hope so too. Don’t get me wrong I like our fashion style and all, but there’s nothing like being free y’know?”

“I know exactly what you mean” Willa agreed. Soon everyone was ready. “Alright. Wynter, Willow, Rwylo, Wen and Wei, head toward Yunjo fields. Willie, Warren and Row, you’re with me and we’re going to Tillamook ravine” the alpha commanded and the pack howled at that.

* * *

 _“Sounds like they left_ ” Wyatt noticed as the faint echoes traveled to the back of the den, not disturbing the sleeping occupants one bit. If anything they cuddled closer together, making him grin. “ _I’d better start cleaning_ ” and left them be.

The pack’s cleaning regiment was about as strict as any military base. Having a clean, organized area made things easier for sure, but it also got rid of any insects that decided to make their den their home too. Especially spiders. Just one little egg could result in never-ending itching torture. Same thing went for small rodents. Sure it made for a convenient snack, but fleas and ticks weren’t partial to any one animal – if there’s blood, they will feed. “ _At least all the chrysanthemums will be in full bloom soon_ ” he thought. That was one good thing about the humans being in their former territory. They brought that foreign flower with them and their ancestors discovered it helped repel a myriad of insects. Needless to say they gathered as many buds as they could and planted them all around whichever den they were in at the time, preserving the seeds to upkeep the floral shield for generations. Still, there were always a few bugs that bypassed the barrier and Wyatt was dead-set on eliminating them.

He reached the room that served as the cleaning closet and grabbed the straw broom as well as the duster – a large stick with green contour duck feathers and pelt strips tied at the end of it. He sharpened his sense of sight by wolfing out and got to work. Thankfully there were only a couple of small spider webs in the lit corridors and just the usual dirt and leaves tracked in from being outside so he finished up rather quickly. He shook out the duster, put the cleaning materials back in the closet and went back into the sleeping area to check on them.

They were still snoring away.

He stretched his arms up, hearing some cracks along his spine before scratching his head. “ _Hmmm…I wonder if I should wake them up now – it’s almost mid-morning. The longer they sleep, the more hyperactive they’ll be. But if Addison’s this tired…I guess a few more minutes couldn’t hurt._ ” He settled his internal debate and walked back over to his original sleeping spot. He got on all fours and pawed the pelt underneath him for a bit until it was fluffed up to his liking. But just as he was about to close his eyes, a startling **SNARFF!**made them shoot open. He pushed his upper body up and saw the pup with a now messed up faux hawk smacking his lips together.

“GRRRRMMMMM!” he growled as he stretched out all of his limbs, inadvertently nudging some of his pup-mates. It was like domino effect; one by one the rest of the pups arose from their slumber. Wyatt quickly got up, ready to help Addison in case they decided to get too rough. But it didn’t happen – they just yawned and stretched like the teens did. That was such a relief to him. However all that gentle pawing gradually woke her up too, so he backed up to give her some room.

“Hmmmm” she stretched out and her vision focused, allowing her to see Wylie’s bright-eyed face as well as the rest of the beaming pups. “**yawwwnnn**Good morning” she smiled.

Wylie greeted her with her own high pitched howl and the rest followed suit, making Addison giggle. She sat up and the pelt slid off her upper body. “How’d all of you sleep?” she asked.

She got a round of “greats” and “amazing” for an answer. “I’m glad” she smiled.

“What about you Addy? Did you sleep well?” Wylie asked. “I did, thanks to all of you. I felt really safe with all of you surrounding me” she explained, making a couple of the boys puff out their chests a bit.

“You got it Addy” the pup with the faux hawk replied.

“Yeah! You’re part of team Run B&B now and we got your back” the pup with the braids added with a thumbs up.

“ _Run B &B? That’s new_” Wyatt thought while still being inconspicuous; he was completely invested in the interaction taking place.

“What does B&B stand for?” Addison asked.

“Bark and Bite” they answered.

“Ahh, right. I should’ve guessed” she sheepishly replied. “ _Though P &B would’ve been more appropriate”_ she thought. And they proved her right when all of them pounced on her. They licked her face and shoulders, inadvertently tickling her. Once again her laughter was as infectious as a catchy melody – Wyatt couldn’t help but chuckle as well.

“H-Hey cut it out! T-That tickles!” she laughed and Wyatt was surprised when they actually heeded her command.

“…Wow” he marveled. Normally it’d take him or Willa stepping in to get them to back off. The fact that they already respected her authority spoke volumes of how high they regarded her. “ _Heh, leader of Team Run B &B. What other surprises do you have in store?”_ he mused to himself.

“Hey Addy! Do you want to play?” Wylie asked. “Yea! Let’s play!” the rest of the pups chimed in.

Sensing the possible danger in their levity, Wyatt stepped in and made his presence known. “Hold on pups, we’ll have plenty of time to play after everyone comes back from hunting. In the meantime Willa wants us to shake off the pelts.”

“Okay” they replied and got off of Addison.

“Good morning Addison” Wyatt smiled as he fully entered her line of sight.

However her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and her voice got caught in her throat when she saw that he was nude. She quickly glanced down at herself and realized that her shirt was still off to the side! She was topless in front of him! In front of the pups! For all this time! “ _CRAP!”_ she internally screamed and quickly covered her chest with her arms.

“What’s wrong Addy? Are you cold?” Wylie asked when they saw the sudden movement and felt the anxiety rise within her. It’s no secret that animals are very perceptive to emotions, and having hers flip from complete bliss to absolute terror felt like a swift punch to the gut; even Wyatt stumbled a bit from the mental whiplash. The pups took initiative and covered her with a pelt. “Betta?” the youngest one asked, but Addison was still a stuttering mess.

“ _Holy crap! I’m naked in front of Wyatt! In front of the children! What’s wrong with me?! Why didn’t I wake up earlier?! They probably think I’m weird! What if they think I’m…ugly?”_ were just a small sample of the rampant, poisonous thoughts speeding through her mind. She tightly closed her eyes and started shuddering, even though she wasn’t cold.

Wyatt’s heart ached when he sensed the panic within her. He whined full of regret, for he knew why she was acting like this…and that he was the cause of it. It didn’t dawn on him that his nudity could be uncomfortable for her because she just looked so at ease with the pups. But whether she had their scent or not, she was still **raised** as a **human**. He knew they were very self-conscious about their appearances, especially when it came to other people seeing them nude.

The pups looked between him and Addison, desperately trying to figure out where this sudden tension came from. Wyatt grabbed a pelt and wrapped it around his waist before stepping forward. The pups moved out of the way and he crouched down in front of her, being mindful to give her some space. “Addison” he spoke but she flinched and didn’t make eye contact. Another guilt-coated dart pierced his heart and he whined again. “I-I’m sorry.”

When she heard him speak with such a defeated tone Addison instantly opened her eyes and met his gaze. And what she saw in those copper eyes rocked her to her core; she couldn’t prevent herself from letting out a small gasp.

 **Shame**.

A forlorn look that she herself displayed numerous times for many years whenever she had to put on that dreaded wig to conceal her natural hair. Sure her white hair was out in the open now and had been deemed more or less acceptable…but the scars remained. The uplifting pep talks she would give herself in the mornings, complimenting her looks and strength, could only go so far before that spark was snuffed out by the aceys or someone other jerk. Though her friends were always there to support her and reignite that spark, the fact remained that she was still always the odd one out.

But with the werewolves, it was different. They were the ones who made her feel normal – like she belonged. Sure she was perceived as this destined God-send at first, but when that turned out not to be the case, they didn’t reject her. They still treated her like one of their own and it was an absolute honor to be associated with such a proud, self-assured community. But to see that look on Wyatt’s face was wrong on so many levels. It should’ve never appeared, but it did…and it was all her fault.

She didn’t even know where to begin fixing damage her bodily response caused, but Wyatt kept talking, “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, I swear I didn’t!” His hands hovered near her and she desperately wanted to lean into his touch as she did so many times before, but her body was still frozen in fear, in ingrained judgement, in her own insecurities cultivated by condemning human hands.

He sighed and retracted his hands, bunching up the pelt above his knees. “I-I’ll put my clothes on right now.” When he uttered that last crushed syllable, something inside her snapped. She wasn’t about to start growing damaging weeds in his mind like the others did to her. She was not stooping to their level, inadvertently or not. Her stuttering vocal chords started moving coherently and she shouted, “Wyatt NO! Please don’t!”

The vulnerability yet strength in her voice stilled everyone. The prominent blush that was already there got even redder when the double implication of what she said caught up with her. “A-And I didn’t mean it like that!” she quickly backtracked and took a deep breath to get her thoughts in order. “What I mean is, I’m sorry. **I’m** the one being inconsiderate…and just down-right silly. This your den, your territory. Please please **_please_** don’t change for me. Your uniqueness is what makes your community so amazing” and that managed to put a small smile on Wyatt’s face. But she wasn’t done. “All of you have been hiding for who knows how long, trying fit into the human world practically overnight to try and find your moonstone. You were put in a difficult position in having to come out of your comfort zone and confront your biggest fears. …What kind of person would I be to make someone feel inadequate in their own home?" she silently asked as her shoulders slumped in the very shame she was trying to dispel.

Wyatt was completely slack-jawed; he couldn’t believe what he heard. In that moment he remembered that fleeting thought that entered his mind when Addison praised him after catching that rabbit. Granted the prawn may have dissipated some of the prejudices against werewolves, but if people were to see them now…would those prejudices return? He’d hope not, but the possibility was high. Yet once again Addison exuded profound compassion and discernment beyond anything he’d ever experienced before. His stomach felt like there were a million jumping grasshoppers in it and his body immediately responded in part to the sincerity that came out of her. He quickly pulled her into a tight yet comforting embrace. He felt her stiffen up as their bare chests touched – her heart beating just as fast as his. He’d hope against all odds that she’d forgive him for his outburst, but he needed to have his say. Through a shaky voice he whispered, “You have **no idea** how much it means to me to have you say that…to feel normal with someone else other than my pack. Addison…thank you.” He sucked back in a shuddering breath and leaned his head down into the crook of her neck, taking in their shared scent to ground himself.

Addison could feel tears pooling in her eyes when she heard his confession; even the wolves weren’t immune to insecurities. Wyatt felt her un-cross her arms and return the embrace with just as strong of a grip. She rubbed his back and whispered, “Believe me, I **know** what it feels like. I had to hide my hair for eleven years…even in my own home. But I couldn’t live a lie anymore. That was the ultimate disrespect to myself. And I didn’t want to do that to you. But I did…and I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to! I just…**sigh** more bad habits I guess.”

He gradually separated himself from her but still kept his hands on her shoulders. He took in her puffy countenance and tears marks on her cheeks. He could feel himself getting emotional as well but on the opposite spectrum. He was just so moved by the concern she showed for him that he couldn’t help getting a little misty. “Addison, you could **never** disrespect me. Even with your crazy howls” and he licked her tears away, tickling her a bit.

“R-Really?” she asked as she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Really” he replied, making her smile. They hugged each other once again – their earlier shame vanishing in an instant.

Sensing the tension dissipate the pups pounced on top them and licked their faces, making everyone giggle.

“A-Alright, a-alright! There’s still a j-job to be done” Wyatt managed to say in the midst of his laughter and pups got off of them. He stood up first then offered his hand out to her. She graciously accepted the assist and stood up too. He didn’t miss how taut her shoulders were from still being shy about her appearance, but slowly and surely they relaxed as her nervousness disappeared.

“Wyatt” she spoke.

“Yes?”

“I meant what I said” and she glanced down at the pelt around his waist.

“…Are you sure?” he hesitantly asked.

“I am” she assured with such conviction that he couldn’t help but relax.

“…Okay” he agreed and undid the loose knot holding it up. It fell to the floor without a sound, letting his body be on full display once again. Her eyes couldn’t help but roam over his muscular physique, taking note of the rune tattoos on his arms and legs; not to mention a couple of scars on his tan skin. Wyatt smiled at her modesty when he noticed her eyes glance up from time to time before reaching the pelvic area of his body, even though that _part_ was mainly obscured by newly sprouted fur.

“Your body is stunning” she sincerely complimented, making him blush.

“Thank you. Your body is quite lovely as well” he praised while continuing to admire her own athletic build underneath her supple skin. Her blush returned and she clasped her hands behind her. She shuffled in place, a little bit embarrassed but happy nonetheless. “Y’know, in our pack we view and treat our bodies like a sacred temple. Allowing others to see it is a sign of complete and absolute trust” he smiled.

Her eyes widened when the implication of what he said clicked in her head. She looked at the pups and they smiled at her too. She started to get choked up again and she knew she was sounding like a broken record when she whispered, “R-Really?”

“Yea Addy! You’re really nice and pretty” Wylie assured as she hugged around her midsection; the rest of the pups followed suit with the littlest one grabbing her leg.

“T-Thank you” she managed to speak, her voice nearly overcome with emotion. She wiped the budding tears out of her eyes and affectionately rubbed each one of their heads. “All of you look absolutely darling too” she praised, making most of them giggle.

However the pup with the braids scoffed and replied, “I ain’t darling. I’m cool! See?” and he let her go and flexed his little biceps. Addison had to cover her mouth to prevent herself from cooing at how adorable he was being, even more so when the pup with the faux hawk and another caramel-colored boy with a nicely trimmed black faded hairstyle with a white patch on the back of his head started having a flex-off.

“You’re right, my mistake” she amended. The rest of the pups let her go so she could crouch down. “May I feel your muscles?” she asked.

The boys didn’t need to be asked twice and all of them held out their arms. She gave each one a gentle squeeze and complimented, “Wow! I bet you guys can knock out a bear with one punch!”

“You know it!” the boy with fade agreed, making her chuckle.

Then something occurred to her. “Y’know, I haven’t had the chance to learn your names yet.” She looked to Wyatt and asked, “I-Is it alright if I know their names? I mean I know Wylie’s because of…extenuating circumstances. But I understand if I can’t until I pass the trials.”

“Of course you can know their names, and everyone else’s for that matter” he chuckled. “What were you going to do in the meantime if you couldn’t?”

“Give you guys nicknames I guess” Addison shrugged.

“Just like Big Mama!” Wylie said.

“Who’s Big Mama?” she asked.

“One of the elders. Her name is Usawa Stoneclaw, but everyone calls her Big Mama. She gave everyone in the pack a nickname” he explained.

“Really? What’s yours?” she asked.

“I’ll tell you later, I promise. For now, pups! Go on ahead and introduce yourselves” and they heeded his command. The pup with the faux hawk went first. “My name’s Wylan Howlfitz and I’m Wylie’s little brother.”

 _“Could’ve fooled me”_ Addison thought when she saw the noticeable height difference; he had at least four inches on her.

The boy with the braids pointed his thumb to himself and said, “And I’m Kraw Oakpaw.”

 _"Heh, K.O. would've been a perfect nickname for him"_ she internally grinned.

“My name is Trew Rivertail” a little boy quietly spoke. He had a few freckles on his cream-colored cheeks and shoulders. He had dazzling green eyes and curly brown hair with the signature white spot on the right side of his head.

" _Aww...he's as gentle as a lamb"_ she smiled.

“My name is Gnaw Rawro” the pup with the fade said. “And this is my little sister Nawnu” and the little wolf waved at her; Addison smiled and waved back.

“I’m Wanda Yipfern and it’s nice to see you again!” a mocha-colored girl introduced herself. She was one of the bigger pups along with Wylan and Kraw. Her loose, curled hair was parted down the middle and tied into two cute little side puffs, her white streak on the left side.

“Nice to see you again too” she replied, recalling how she not only danced with Wyatt when she first came here, but also hung out with Zoey. “You’re Zoey’s friend too, right?”

“Yea! Actually she was talking about possibly being pen pals – writing letters to each other. I told her I would…but I remembered we don’t have any paper or pens. And I don’t know where she lives either.”

“Say no more. Consider me your personal postal person! I’ll bring paper and pens and I’ll take your letters over to her whenever I can” Addison replied.

“Really?!” she squealed.

“I promise” and she crossed her heart.

“Thanks Addy! Oh, I should make her a gift too, right? Is that something pen pals do?” she asked.

“You can send whatever you want, so long as it’s not dangerous” she explained.

“Cool! I’m gonna get started!” Just before she could run to wherever she was going Wyatt said, “Hold on Wanda, we still have to shake out the pelts remember?”

“Oh yea, right” she sheepishly scratched the back of her head.

“Here, I’ll help too” Addison offered.

“Thank you Addison” Wyatt smiled.

“Just let me grab my phone so I can text my parents once we’re outside.” She went over to her bag, took it out and turned it on. “ _Wow…I slept in pretty late_ ” she thought when she saw that it was almost 9am. She stuck in her pocket and said, “Ready.”

“Cool. Just pick up as many as you can” he instructed.

“Got it” and everyone grabbed some and took them outside the den entrance; the only cloth still on the floor was her folded shirt.

They put them in a pile on top of the rocks proceeded to shake out each one. Some of them were pretty big and it required Wyatt and Addison’s combined assistance. Kraw thought it’d be cool to bounce around on top while they did that so he hopped on.

“Woohoo! Yeah! This is awesome!” he laughed.

Wyatt didn’t have the heart to scold him, especially since Addison was laughing as well. He was more surprised that she had the strength to do it. Soon everyone got a turn on the makeshift wave trampoline. In no time at all they were done.

“Great job everyone!” he praised, and they gave each other high-fives.

“Hey Wyatt? What exactly did we shake off anyway? Just dirt and dust?”

“And bugs” he added.

She gulped and instinctively she looked over her body, expecting to see swollen red dots. But there weren’t any. “Don’t worry, we typically don’t get bugs in our den until summer. And even then it’s not a lot thanks to the chrysanthemum” and he pointed to a few yellow and magenta flowers near the entrance. “It repels insects.”

“Huh, I didn’t know that” she commented.

“Yea. There'll be way more flowers than that, but it doesn't keep'em all out; some bugs are resilient. We’ll give them a real washing later” he said.

“I see. But then why do you have little uncovered holes in the walls of the sleeping area?” she asked.

“They’re not uncovered, they have clear sugar-pine sap over them. It’s porous enough to allow fresh air through, but sticky enough to keep bugs out so we can have little windows” he explained.

“Such ingenuity” she marveled.

“That’s nothing, wait til you see the rest of the den. In fact, let’s give you a tour! After all this is your home now too” he grinned and the pups agreed.

“Yeah!” “C’mon Addy, we’ll show you where we keep our treasures” and they started tugging on her hands.

“Okay okay” Addison laughed. “I just need to send a message my parents really quick.”

They let go of her hands so she could take out her phone and text them. Thankfully she had a couple bars of service. <Good morning mom. Good morning dad. I’m awake and safe.>

A few seconds later she hears a **PING** <That’s such a relief! When will you be home?> her mother replied.

<In a couple hours. My friends want to show me around their home.> she responded.

<Ok. Text when you get home.> and that was that.

 _“Huh…that’s surprising. I’d thought she’d put up more of a fight and insist I come home this instant. …Maybe they’re saving their energy up for a long lecture”_ she internally groaned. “ _Well, I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.”_ She turned the phone off and stuck it back in her pocket. They gathered up all the pelts and put them back in the sleeping area, laying them all over the floor like before.

“Shall we?” Wyatt asked and offered his hand.

“Let us shall” she smiled and placed her hand in his, melding perfectly together.

* * *

**Next up, a tour of the wolf den! The pack makes new discoveries about Addison. What will this mean for her trials? Tune in to find out! Thank you to all the kudos and comments, I'm glad you're liking the story! This chapter really resonated with me, especially dealing with my own body issues. If there's two things I learned its don't judge someone's shape by their shape, and to love yourself. So long as they're healthy that's all that matters.**

**Bonus points to whoever gets the Run B &B reference.**

**I don't own Zombies, just my imaginative capabilities and made up characters.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: brief mentions of nudity and other acts, but nothing explicit.

“WELCOME TO THE WOLF’S DEN!” Wyatt gestured with his arms out wide.

Addison chuckled at his grandiose re-introduction of the area she had grown so fond of. The light of moonstone and luminescent rocks blended beautifully with the sunlight spilling in.

“This is the main area – the equivalent of a human living room” he described.

“ _I wish my living room was like this_ ” she thought. No matter how matter times she walked through it, the architecture and artwork never ceased to amaze her. She could spend hours just lying on her back staring at all the aesthetically pleasing elements.

He noticed that she was looking up at the ceiling and decided feed her curiosity. “The ceiling apparatus closes up with a crank right over here” and he led her to a little nook underneath the stairs. He opened a rectangular, stone-slab door and there was the mechanism. “We seal the den whenever it rains or snows, but it makes one impressive art piece. It even acts as a sun dial. C’mon, we’ll show you” and they led her upstairs to the lookout deck. Sure enough there was a yellow orb past the nine o’clock position on the floor.

“Cool!” she expressed.

“If you think that’s cool, wait til you see the view” Wyatt grinned and the pups took initiative by turning her around. A loud gasp full of awe and wonder came out of her mouth when she saw it. Her eyes drank in the stunning scenery like she would never see it again. It was a lush composition of trees in every shade of green imaginable, with interspersed bouts of spring colors – all complimented exquisitely by the shimmering cerulean lake in the distance. A myriad of words came to her mind to describe this hidden paradise, but the only one she could say was “Incredible.”

“Yea, it sure is” he agreed as he gazed upon her, but noticed her awestruck smile fading away. “What’s wrong Addison?”

“…I’m sorry that your pack lost so much of it” she sadly expressed. He followed her line of sight to the outskirts of Seabrook; its painted-over grey construction acting as a shadow to the forest.

Wyatt quietly hummed in acknowledgement. That sentiment was a long-standing one within the pack…until recently. “Y’know…whenever we would get down like that the elders would tell us not to focus on what we’ve lost, but what we’ve gained. And I’d say we gained a whole lot” he smiled and gently tousled her hair. Addison smiled and nodded at that. “And this is just a small area of our territory. Just wait til you see the rest of it!”

“Yea! Wherever the sunlight and moonlight touch, we go” Wylan added, making Addison chuckle. “What’s so funny?” he asked.

“Nothing. What you said just reminded me of a scene from one of my favorite movies” she replied.

“What a movee?” Nawnu asked.

“It’s like a story with moving pictures” she explained.

“We have that!” Gnaw exclaimed.

“You do?” she asked.

“Yeah. Elder Smithy can make the pictures on the walls can move” he explained.

“What? Really? How? Or is that a werewolf secret?” she asked.

“…Yeah, it is. Sorry” Wyatt apologized.

“Don’t be, it just gives me something to look forward to when I pass my trials” she stated and he could feel her competitive spirit. “You sure will, there’s no doubt about it! And that won’t be the only thing you’ll get to look forward too. When you pass your hunting trial, you’ll get your own custom-tailored vest.”

“But you guys already gave me one” she reminded.

“Yeah, but that was just a spare that happened to fit. This one will be personally made for you in your own style” he clarified.

“Really?!”

“Yep! Y’see our vests are very important to us because they’re made out of our first kill” he explained as they walked back down the stairs. “Obviously alterations are made as we grow up, but the fur stays the same” he added while running his claws through the white/brown fur adorning his garment.

“Wow! So that fur is from the first animal you ever hunted?” she asked and he proudly nodded at that. “What did you catch?”

“This!” and he pointed to a picture of a little werewolf holding a brown and white rabbit by the foot.

“That’s you?” she asked.

“Uh huh!” he smiled.

“Whoa…that rabbit’s huge” she commented.

“Yeah, that’s a snowshoe hare. I was able track down one of the fastest, most elusive animals in the woods. And just as winter was ending no less. They’re practically invisible to the naked eye due to their changing coat, but I caught it all by myself” he fondly remembered.

“That’s amazing!” she praised.

“Thank you.”

“How old were you?” she asked while still looking at the painting.

“Seven. My mom and dad were there to watch me, but for the most part I was hunting solo” he replied.

“I know they were super proud of you” she smiled.

“Yeah…they were” he replied as his mind was taken back to that eventful day. Remembering how his dad spun him around when he showed them his kill, his mom peppering him with praises and kisses, and even Willa initiating a game chase to see if he was really that fast enough to catch a rabbit.

Addison didn’t miss the wistful tone of his voice, nor the faraway look he was sporting. She put her hand on his shoulder, startling him out of his reminiscent stupor. He looked at her, seeing the empathy in her eyes. He even could’ve sworn he heard her whine a little. He smiled at her affectionately and rubbed her head again. “I know we’ll be proud with whatever you catch, and I’m sure Elder Moss will make you an exceptional vest” he remarked.

“Elder Moss? Are Moss and Smithy nicknames?” she asked; for the most part all of the werewolves had a W in their name. Whether or not it was just coincidence she wasn’t sure.

“Yeah, they are. Elder Moss’s name is Wanbli Tyetooth and he’s an excellent tailor. He’s been making and teaching the pack how to make clothes for as long as I can remember. And Elder Smithy’s name is Worion Stoneclaw.”

“Stoneclaw? Is he related to Elder Usawa?” she asked.

“He’s her mate” he answered.

“We’ll show you why we call him Elder Smithy when we get to the treasure room” Trew added.

“Okay” she automatically replied, but Wyatt could sense her mind was elsewhere. “I can tell you have something on you mind. Don’t be afraid – go on ahead and let it out” he assured.

“…Are you sure? I don’t want to learn any secrets if I’m not supposed to” she replied.

“I’m sure. Besides, the elders always tell us that getting knowledge is the wisest thing anyone can do, so we’ll consider it a pre-trial lesson” he smiled.

“…Okay” she hesitantly agreed before taking a moment to formulate her question. “I understand the significance of the vest, but why do you guys wear clothes and shoes if for the most part go without it? Not that there’s anything wrong with it, your style is awesome! I was just…curious” she finished.

Wyatt took in her question and debated on whether or not he could share the reason. _“Hmm…this should be fine, it isn’t anything too revealing. Plus I don’t want to be a hypocrite”_ he decided. “…At the time, we didn’t have a choice” he replied and led her to another picture. This one had numerous werewolves that kinda resembled the ones Addison had seen in movies before transitioning to nude figures that were huddled together. “Before the moonstone was stolen from us, we didn’t need clothes because we were covered in fur, just like our ancestors. Our hands and feet also had paw pads on them, making us resistant to the ever-changing surface we walked on. We were well protected from the cold winters and sometimes blistering summers, especially from the bugs. The only ones that needed clothes were newborn pups and it was mainly sown together pelts. But once our necklaces started losing power, we couldn’t maintain our true forms anymore. Whatever remaining power we had was used solely for defense. So in order to combat the harsh climates, we all started wearing our own style of clothes and shoes” he finished.

“…No way” she whispered. “ _So this is what Willa meant when they needed the moonstone to become their true werewolf selves. I couldn’t even begin to fathom the void left from being separated from a major part of yourself”_ she thought.

“…Yea. Most of our history isn’t…ideal” he bitterly expressed.

“…Most peoples' aren’t” she whispered to herself as she thought about her own upbringing. She was taken out of her melancholy when she felt someone grip her hand. She looked down and saw that Wylie was the one holding it. A small whine came out of her and she squeezed it a little tighter, giving her comfort the only way she knew how. Addison looked around and saw the worried looks on the rest of the pups’ faces. She offered a small smile and said, “But it’s like you said Wyatt, we need to focus on what we’ve gained. And I’m so glad you guys are gaining your true form back! I can’t wait to see it when I become part of the pack” and that made everyone perk up.

“Heh, you’re absolutely right” Wyatt replied.

“But I’m going to apologize in advance” she suddenly stated.

“Huh? For what?” he asked.

“If your fur is as soft as your hair I won’t be able to resist petting you all the time” she confessed and that made everyone laugh. “I won’t mind if you do” he grinned. “What about you pups? Will you mind?”

“Nope!” they all replied.

He nodded and said, “C’mon, we still have so much to show you.” Wylan grabbed her other hand and the siblings led her down the lit corridor.

“By the way, what makes these stones glow?” she asked.

“Luminescent bacteria. Our ancestors found this huge quarry where they live and excavated some. They’re not dangerous and we return them to their habitat once their stone is almost whittled down so they can find another one to live in” he answered.

“Wow, that’s so cool! The entire forest is chock-full of amazing things.”

“Oh you have no idea” he grinned as they walked back to the sleeping area. “This sleeping area is where adolescent wolves and pups rest” he explained. To bolster his description, the pups flopped down on the pelts and rolled around a bit.

Now that it was fully illuminated she grasped just how big it really was…and how big their pack used to be. But she quickly dismissed that thought – things were going to be better now. _“My house could fit in here”_ she realized as she looked around, seeing not only the ceiling mural but dozens upon dozens of paintings as well – a bit more childlike in their design. She smiled at that, this whole area felt like a storybook. 

Wyatt chuckled when he saw the wonder within her eyes before gently grabbing her hand and leading her to the next area across the way. “And this is where the adults and newborn pups sleep” he explained.

“ _Oh my God…looks truly are deceiving. Just two rooms could be a million dollar estate_ ” she thought. This room was vastly different from the adolescent area. There were still beautiful illustrations on the walls, but this room looked like it had separate areas within it – almost like hotel rooms without doors. Each one was separated by different colored stalagmites that blended perfectly with stone construction, and they were padded with comfortable pelts.

“Wyatt, how old are you?” she asked.

“Seventeen” he answered.

“Huh…you’re only a couple months older than me” she realized.

“Why do you ask?”

“I was just wondering how old would you have to be until you’re able to sleep in this room. I’m guessing the age to be considered an adult is different for a werewolf than it is for a human” she replied and that made him blush.

“Um…well… I mean given everything that happened…technically the pack is old enough to sleep here, except for the pups obviously. It just…depends” he got out despite his stuttering.

“Depends on what?” she asked, still not getting it.

“If a male and female are…y’know…mates. And if they’re…well…active” he squeaked out.

Realization coupled with a deep, red blush dawned on her face. “Ooooohhhh r-right! You did say newborns could sleep here too” she recalled and she glanced at the wandering pups. Yea…it’d be better to have privacy for that kind of _activity_. Then again she didn’t know how mating dynamics worked in the pack and she wasn’t about to ask anytime soon. She barely had _the talk_ with her own parents.

“**ahem! ** Let’s continue, shall we?” he suggested, trying to clear the awkwardness in the air and Addison nodded wholeheartedly. The pups looked at each other – clearly missing something going on between them. But it didn’t feel like the emotional storm Addison had earlier, so they let it go.

They walked past the sectioned areas until they reached the back wall – a giant, purple paw-print was painted on it. “This is our emergency exit. Only someone from our pack can open it” he explained.

“Wait a sec…our pack? That means there’s more than one?!” she exclaimed.

“ _Observant hearing_ ” he noted, but he had to put his foot down in this instance. “I’m sorry, I can’t answer that for you yet” he regretfully said.

“Right, right sorry. I’ll keep my mouth shut” and she clamped her lips tight.

“You don’t have to do that. Besides, I like hearing your voice” and that made her smile.

He put his hand on the wall and his moonstone started glowing. He barked something in the native werewolf language, and the paw print lit up too. However, while he was barking something started humming inside Addison’s ears. She swiped the air around them, thinking it was a buzzing bug, but that wasn’t the case. Then the humming started turning into letter sounds. “ _Huh? Nanu…Strength? What’s going on? Who’s talking?”_ She looked around and saw that Wyatt was the only one still speaking. But now it was starting to sound like regular English! “ _Wh-what? I can understand it now?!”_ She was taken out of her thoughts when the immediate area suddenly started rumbling. The wall shifted over to the right, revealing a hidden passage way. “Whoooa” Addison awed; it was like something straight out of an adventure novel. But it was pitch black inside.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be right here” he assured when he sensed her trepidation. He gently grabbed her hand and she nodded. “Alright Team Run B&B! Lead the way” and Trew took the lead.

The tunnel wasn’t nearly as wide as the corridors of the den; they had to walk in a single file line. In the midst of the inky depths she could make out a light up a head. With that little bit of illumination, she noticed that there wasn’t any stone construction along the walls – it was all dug out like a giant gopher tunnel. She could even see a few big roots overhead. Soon they came to the bright spot and she wasn’t surprised to see more luminescent rocks. But these ones were giant, crystal-clear boulders – each one was placed in front of a different path.

“The wolves of the past set up decoy paths in case we were ever followed by any threats. Pups, which way do we go?” he asked.

“Green is mean, red leaves you dead, but blue is true” they recited.

 _“…Interesting rhyme_ ” Addison thought but was thoroughly confused. “I-I don’t see anything” she admitted.

“Wait for it…” Wyatt replied and in a quick flash each stone lit up with the corresponding color – the safe way being off to the left.

“Oh wow! How does the bacteria do that?” she asked.

“We’re not sure. We figured that the composition of these particular rocks makes them glow like that. But they’re not in any pain, we know that much” he replied.

“That’s good, but I’m not surprised. Your pack is quite nurturing” she praised, getting a smile out of him.

They continue leading her down the right paths as the tunnels branch off every couple of miles until they reach a supposed dead-end. Wyatt lets go of her hand and maneuvers around the pups to reach the wall. He places his hands on the ceiling and wolfs out. With a grunting growl he pushes up, making a panel above him shift and move. Addison and the pups shield their eyes with their arms as some dirt falls on top of them. Soon sunlight streamed through the opening and he went out first. Addison made sure all the pups got out okay before he put his arm back in to help her out.

“Whooooa” she gasped when she saw the sight in front of her. The whole area was covered with ash-white trees; dozens of butterflies, beetles, woodpeckers and other magnificent animals fed on the oozing, golden tree sap. Another hidden gem in this diverse ecosystem. The pups ran towards the trees trying to catch the fluttering insects. Addison chuckled at their playful antics, especially when they all stopped to see a couple of monarch butterflies perched atop Wylan’s head.

“Are we still in The Forbidden Forest?” she asked.

“Yup. Like you said, our territory is chock-full of surprises” he grinned. “And by the way, our territory’s name isn’t The Forbidden Forest. That’s just what the humans decided to call it.”

“Really?”

“Yep. Still doesn’t stop them from coming in though” he cheekily grinned as he poked her ribs with her elbow.

“Oh ha ha” she sarcastically laughed and pushed him away. “What’s the actual name then? Maybe I can have my mom bring it up in the next council meeting to change it on the maps and surrounding signs. It’s about time that Seabrook started treating the pack with the respect they deserve.”

Wyatt smiled at that and replied, “I appreciate that, I really do, but Willa and the elders will have to decide on that one. Even though they named it The Forbidden Forest because they were scared of the stories about us, in the long run it helped keep our pack safe from human attacks…for the most part” he quietly added and the realization dawned on her.

“…Now I understand. Having it be called The Forbidden Forest really reinforces the “Do Not Enter” warning written underneath it on the signs.”

“…Yup” he agreed. He didn’t miss the regret nor disappointment her whole body displayed as she glanced at the ground and kicked a couple of pebbles. He put his hand on top of her head, making her look up at his face. “Addison, we don’t need respect from that superficial town. Your genuine compassion, bravery and **respect** for us is something that we’ll treasure forever” he passionately spoke. She did a double take before his heartfelt words truly settled into her soul. She smiled and nodded – his message clear as day. **Quality, not quantity**.

“Thank you Wyatt” she graciously said.

“No, thank you” he replied and ruffled her hair a bit. “Would you still like to know the true name of our land?” he asked.

“Yes please!” she eagerly replied.

“We call it Amartiwok Woods” he answered.

“United wolf woods” she translated making him do a double take.

“Y-Yeah, that’s right. How’d you know that?” he asked.

“I-I don’t know, I just…did” she replied, a little confused where that knowledge came from as well.

“Did you happen to understand what I was saying when I opened the entrance to the emergency exit?” he asked.

She thought back to the barks she heard. “Kinda. You were barking pretty fast, but it sounded like Nanu strength?” she admitted and his eyes could’ve been mini bird baths with how big they got. “…I was way off wasn’t I?” she sheepishly asked.

“N-no! You’re…you’re actually really close” he replied, still a little stunned by this new development.

“What?! Really?! But how?!” This was beginning to be a little too much for her mind to process. “Is the moonstone doing something to me?!” she asked, nervousness and excitement rolled into her tone.

“I don’t know. Try howling something” he advised.

“O-Okay” and she thought about what she wanted to say. She took a deep breath and let out a short howl, not startling the feeding animals in the slightest – guess they’re used to it. But the pups ran back over to her, concern written all over their faces.

“Addy, its okay! The butterflies won’t hurt you” Wylie assured.

“Wait what?”

“You just said, “I’m scared of butterflies” Wyatt clarified.

“What?! No! No no no, that’s not what I meant to say! I was trying to say “I love wolves” garnering a few awws out of them. At this point she was pacing back and forth. “Okay, now I’m really confused. I can somewhat understand werewolf language now, but I can’t speak it? How does that work?” she exasperated while rubbing her forehead.

“I’m sorry Addison, I wish I had an answer for you. It’s definitely a mystery” Wyatt replied. But in the back of his mind he thought, “ _I wonder if this has anything to do with her having our scent or whatever Willa saw on her.”_

But he was taken out of his thoughts when the pups squealed, “A mystery?!” and a twinkle appeared in their eyes. “Don’t worry Addy, we’re great detectives!” Kraw boasted. “Let’s start with the clues.”

“Uh Kraw? We only have one clue” Trew pointed out.

“One’s better than none” he replied.

“Uh…alright. Well, Addy can kinda understand werewolf words, but can’t speak them” Trew listed.

“But only werewolves can understand our language” Wanda pointed out.

Then Wylie gasped, “Does that mean you’re one of us?! I mean you are, you’re an honorary wolf and all, but I mean” and Addison smiled at her. “It’s alright Wylie, I know what you meant. But that’s not the case…I wish it was though” she quietly added as she touched her moonstone necklace.

“Hmmm…maybe the necklace made you half wolf” Gnaw guessed. “Hooman wolf” Nawnu added.

“ _Technically that’s what a werewolf is, by human definition anyway”_ she thought. “You might be right. Maybe the necklace did give me some abilities. If so, that’s flippin’ awesome! That makes me feel even closer to this pack” she grinned.

“Yeah!” everyone replied.

“Wyatt, what exactly did you say to open the emergency exit anyway?” she asked and he stilled at that. A part of him so desperately wanted to repeat the words but he knew that that was an absolute pack secret. “…I’m sorry, I can’t tell you. Not yet. It’s one thing to figure it out, but something else entirely to divulge a major werewolf secret.”

“Don’t be sorry, I understand. I don’t know what I was thinking asking for a password, that’s a secret thing for anyone. Guess I got ahead of myself” she sheepishly scratched the back of her head.

He smiled and replied, “It’s alright. I don’t blame you for being excited. Don’t lose that enthusiasm though, okay?”

“Okay” she promised.

He nodded at that and said, “C’mon, let’s head back.” The pups took the lead again and led Addison back to the den while he made sure the exit was properly sealed.

“So, where to next?” she asked.

“Let’s go to the treasure room!” Gnaw excitedly suggested. He and his little sister dragged her out of the adult resting area with everyone else catching up. Soon they arrived at a room near the adolescent area that actually had some semblance of a wooden door in front of it.

“Ready?” Gnaw asked, practically bouncing up and down in place while his hand was on the doorknob.

“Ready!” she eagerly replied – his enthusiasm latching onto her too.

“Welcome to…” and he paused for dramatic effect. He pushed the door open and an inviting yellow, glory light spilled out – only thing missing was the angelic music. “The treasure room!”

She gasped as she slowly walked inside. In the room there were shelves upon shelves filled with all kinds of toys, instruments, and other knickknacks. It felt like she was in Toys R Us museum and it fascinated her to no end.

“I take it you like our little collection?” Wyatt chuckled when he saw that she was too amazed for words for a few minutes. That snapped her out of it and she fervently nodded. “Where did you guys get these toys?” she asked pointing to some that were clearly from a store.

“Like I said, even with a name like The Forbidden Forest it still doesn’t stop people from coming here. Humans would come by, especially during summer and autumn, to camp. For the most part we leave them alone, but whenever they would get too close to our territory we’d scare them off by barking at them. When they left we cleaned up whatever they left behind so it wouldn’t damage the forest, and sometimes they left toys. These were always my favorite.” He reached up and grabbed a wooden-carved wolf whose legs and jaw were able to move and a push-down green top. He held them out to her and she carefully took them out of his hands.

“Wooow, this one is beautiful” she awed as she noticed the intricate details on the wolf. “I can’t believe someone would leave this behind.”

“No one left that behind. Elder Worion made it for me” he explained.

“He makes lots of toys! He can make just about anything – that’s why we call him Smithy” Wylan added.

“He sure can” Addison praised as she rubbed her thumb over the polished wood. Then she turned her attention to the top.

“This one used to light up, but it stopped a few years ago. None of the batteries from the other toys we found could fit in it. I tried to use my moonstone to charge them, but it didn’t work either” he explained and she could hear the disappointment in his tone. She handed him back his wolf and examined the top. She turned it around and saw the compartment opening for the batteries. She popped it open and saw what the problem was. “Yea, these type of batteries aren’t used that much so they’re not as common as others. But I can get them for you if you’d like” she offered.

“Really?!”

“Of course” she smiled but let out a small “Oh!” when he brought her in for a hug.

“Thank you Addison!” he happily said.

“It’s my pleasure” she replied and returned the embrace. Once he let go she turned her attention to the pups and asked, “Do you guys have any toys that you want me to see if I can get batteries for?”

They wasted no time in getting a few toys off the shelves – from robots to tiny pianos to RC monster trucks. “ _Oh…oh wow. Hopefully I’ll have enough money for all this_ ” she thought while looking at all the toys near her feet.

Sensing her train of thought, Wyatt grabbed a treasure chest coin bank and opened the top. “Here Addison, this should help with the cost” and gave her a crumpled bill. She took it and opened it up. Needless to say her eyes bugged out when she saw it was a $100 bill.

“The humans leave more than just toys” he smirked. “We have no use for money, but we thought it’d be a good thing to hold onto just in case.”

“T-Thanks Wyatt, this’ll help out a lot” she gratefully expressed.

“Of course” he smiled.

“Could you help me carry these back to my bag please?” she asked the pups. They heeded her command and each one picked up as many as they could carry. They all walked back to their sleeping area and Addison emptied her bag to make room for the toys. Thankfully everything, including what she brought, fit inside.

“Nice. Let’s keep on touring” she said and grabbed Wyatt’s hand again. He glanced back at her shirt that was still on the floor and smiled. “ _She really is comfortable around us_ ” he thought as they walked out of the room.

This time they went down a corridor that branched off the main one and an aroma tickled Addison’s nose. Wyatt saw her nose twitch and asked, “Can you guess where we’re going next?”

“The kitchen” she smiled as the scent of herbs and spices got stronger. Just like the other rooms, this one could’ve been a five-star kitchen in a mansion. Shelves were built into the walls and contained a plethora of wooden canisters; each one labeled in their language. Surprisingly she couldn’t make out the words. Up above were various peppers and other herbs hanging from twine, drying out. “I didn’t know wolves liked spicy foods.”

“Only a few do. Me, not so much. Bleh!” he replied while sticking his tongue out and the pups followed suit; Addison giggled at that.

There were also plates, cups, jugs, clayware, cast iron pots and pans and other cooking utensils stored near a copper basin that looked like it had red stones embedded into it. Around the basin were little slits in the floor. Right above it was an intricate carved stone wolf head that had a few drops of water dripping from the fangs – she guessed that it was the sink area. In the center of the room was massive wooden table that doubled as a dual, detachable cutting board. Underneath it were drawers that contained stone knives that could rival the sharpest blades. There were also large, beautifully painted pottery all around – sealed tight with matching clay lids.

As she walked around, being mindful not to bump into any of the drying spices, she came across a double door. “What’s in here?” she asked.

“Our hunting weapons” he answered and opened them to show her their arsenal. There were a multitude of bows, arrows, nets, spears and even a couple of slingshots.

“I had no idea you guys used weapons too” she said while admiring the craftsmanship.

“Yep. Elder Warrick and Elder Smithy made all of these, but Elder Warrick is the weapons master. She can hit a buck three miles away right on the head with her eyes closed.”

“Really? That’s amazing!”

“It sure is, but we don’t use’em all the time. After all, we’re the ultimate weapons” he grinned and Kraw and Wylan backed him up with another bicep flex.

“I’d say so” she smiled. “So when do you use them?”

“Mainly during the winter; it’s hard to be stealthy when you’re walking on crunchy snow. Plus when the birds migrate over our area it’s easier to hit them while standing on our observation deck. We even make a retrieval game out it” he explained.

“ _Kinda sounds like that old duck video game_ ” she thought. “What about the spears and nets?”

“We use those for fishing. We’re not patient enough to wait for a fish to bite a hook like humans. And we’re definitely not like bears where we sit in freezing water forever waiting for a fish to hop in our mouths” he answered.

“Hmmm…I might need to borrow those for my trial. Fish might be the most realistic thing for me to catch” she admitted. “Though I’m not sure how fish can be incorporated into a vest.”

“You’d be surprised” he grinned. “But whatever you want to use, it’s yours. You can even borrow a canoe if you’d like.”

“You have canoes!? You’re sea wolves too?”

“Yup” and he pointed to the ceiling. She looked up to see a pair of well-crafted, sleek canoes. “Whooa!” she marveled.

“We only have two here. The rest of them are in another area near the ocean” he added.

“Oh wow. I knew your territory was vast, but I didn’t realize it went all the way to the coast” she remarked.

“Even further than that. And I can’t wait to show you all of it” he smiled.

They took her out of the kitchen to a room next door that had many more wooden canisters. “Is this an extra pantry?” she asked.

“No, this is our medicine cabinet” he replied.

“Wow you guys have a lot! Then again your pack is huge” she noted.

He nodded and said, “Our forest is filled with all kinds of medicinal herbs to help with just about anything – from headaches to bacterial infections. We go out and gather them, then take’em to our drying shed out in Sininuk meadow. It’s the perfect spot to dry our plants.”

“I’ll say, especially for a place called Sun Beacon meadow” she agreed, but caught herself translating again. “ _…Really wish I knew why I can understand these words all of a sudden._ Anyway that’s amazing! You guys are natural pharmacists.”

“There was a lot of trial and error” he admitted.

“That’s with anything. I bet what’s in here is a lot better than some of the synthetic stuff we use.”

“Not necessarily. I have to give the humans credit for developing crucial medicines. They did create vaccines for rabies and parvo after all, and we’re healthy because of them.”

“Wait what? How’d you guys get shots? We just found out you guys exist” she questioned.

“We’d sneak into the town’s animal hospital and our healers would give us shots. We’d get them every three years or so, though we haven’t gotten them in a while because of…well…everything” he answered and she understood.

“Maybe I can ask Willa and the elders if it’s alright to ask my mom to consider giving you guys free vaccinations” she offered.

“ _I swear her compassion is infinite_ ” he thought before replying, “I’m sure they’d appreciate it, especially when it comes to keeping our pack strong and healthy.”

“Aww…do we have to? I hate shots!” Kraw whined.

“Yes Kraw, we have to. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to have acid foam in my mouth” Wyatt replied, making Trew shudder. “That sounds horrible” he quivered, but Kraw on the other hand hummed in contemplation. “…Y’know, that’d actually be a cool way to defend oursel**OWW! ** what was that for Wanda?!” he yelled as he rubbed the back of his head.

“To knock that crazy idea out of your head” she replied while uncurling her fist.

“I was joking!” he growled, but she just raised an eyebrow up. “Uh huh” she skeptically uttered.

Before they could go at it Wyatt stepped in and said, “Alright, that’s enough you two. Maybe one day they won’t hurt so much.”

“I hope so” Addison agreed and she instinctively rubbed her shoulder – that was where her doctor gave her the last booster shot. “ _Seriously, who tells someone not to flinch anyway with a big needle poking them in the skin?!”_ she thought, remembering the doctor’s instruction.

“But it’s not all bad Kraw. Elder Moss and Elder Walden give us sweet bones when they’re done healing us” Wylie reminded.

“Yeah, yeah I know” he grumbled.

“Huh? Elder Wanbli is a healer too?” Addison asked.

“Sure is. Wolves can do whatever we choose, that’s why we work so well together. Also, Elder Walden is a stone mason. He helped build this den long ago with the other masons at the time” Wyatt explained.

“Whoa, really?! That’s incredible” she marveled, but suddenly her enthusiasm dimmed a bit.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Oh…it’s nothing. I was just thinking what my niche would be when I become part of this pack” she replied.

“Don’t limit yourself Addison, you have plenty of options to choose from. But for now, I’d say just be **you**. After all, no one can do it except you” and he booped her on the nose. She smiled and nodded at that.

They left the medicine cabinet and showed her the cleaning supply closet, the soap storage area, and the towel closet.

“No wonder your hair is so soft, these soaps smell incredible!” Addison complimented as she took a big whiff. “Hmmm! Cinnamon and lavender. It’s so amazing how you guys make your own stuff.”

“Yep, the forest is our beauty supply store too” he grinned.

“Is there cotton in the forest too? Is that how you made all these towels?” she asked.

“Nope, no cotton here. We made them from animal fur and some cotton discarded by the humans a long time ago. We also incorporated some of the forest plants so they last much longer and prevent bacteria from ruining them” he answered.

“What?! People are dumping trash into your forest!?” she angrily exclaimed.

“No no no, not anymore. Like I said that happened a long time ago, before any of us were born. Humans have gotten more environmentally friendly lately. I mean there are a few exceptions but it’s not like they’re making our home a dump” he clarified.

“That’s good, because I was going to make sure that mom enforced some rules about that” she growled.

“ _And probably tear a new one into somebody too_ ” he thought.

“But you guys are amazing weavers” she praised as she felt the soft cloth.

“Amazing what you can do with a few sticks and some sinew” he smirked. “But you might want to grab a hand cloth though.”

“Huh? Why?” she questioned.

“We’re headed to the water room next, and you have a little dirt on you” he pointed out. Addison looked at her arms and sure enough a light layer of dust coated them from when they were in the tunnel. He handed her one and a bar of cinnamon soap while the rest of the pups grabbed their own.

As they went down another corridor and deeper into the den, she could feel surprisingly warm moisture on her skin. “Here were are, the water room!” he announced.

In front of them were two stone doors with the same paw print design etched onto them. He pushed one of them open and a rush of mist came out. Inside was an immaculate bathhouse lit up by the soft glow of blue gemstones. Two gigantic stone-carved wolf heads were located high up on the walls facing each other. Clear water flowed at a leisurely pace out of their mouths down a series of stacked grey marble rectangular dividers – creating a wide waterfall shower effect. At the bottom of each waterfall was a massive, yet shallow marble pool embedded into the ground. Off to the side were dozens of small teak wood stools stacked neatly in a corner. There were even teak wood towel racks attached to the walls.

“Amazing” Addison awed as she slowly spun around, taking in the sights. The pups went over to one of waterfalls to soak their cloths and clean their faces.

“How long did it take to build all this?” she asked.

“Many, _many_ years” he answered.

“I believe it” she replied. “But you can’t rush perfection. You guys should seriously have your own construction company – the whole den is magnificent!”

“I’m glad you like your new home” he smiled. “But there's still two more rooms I can show you."

“That you _can_ show? Is the last one off limits?” she asked.

“Yeah…I’m-”

“Don’t you dare apologize” she cut him off by pointing a finger at him. “I understand. Every house has an area that’s off limits.”

“Thank you for understanding Addison. You’ll get to see it when you become a part of the pack, I promise.”

“I look forward to it, just like everything else. And don’t think I’m disappointed just because I can’t see one room. Today I got to see architectural feats I didn’t think were possible! Just the fact that there’s running water in a mountain is beyond impressive. How were you guys even able to do that?” she asked.

“The wolves at the time diverted water from a nearby river to flow into our den. Take a look at this” and he led her to the edge of the pool. She noticed the same red stones that lined the copper basin were inside the bath too. “We found out those rocks trap and hold heat, so we lined our tubs and dividers with’em” he explained.

She dipped her hand in the water and it was the perfect temperature. “Incredible! How do you charge them back up so to speak when they run out of heat?” she asked.

“We take’em out and put’em in our cooking hole. It takes about a week to recharge them” he answered.

“How long do they last?”

“About two full moons” he replied.

“Two full…oh! Two months? That’s crazy!”

“Crazy good; they helped us get through some tough winters. The steam from the room filters throughout our den through little slits in the walls, making it nice and cozy” he added.

“Nice and cozy is right” Addison agreed. “But…how is it that the water doesn’t overflow?”

“There are little slits in the floor and tubs too. The water drains down into an underground reservoir; it keeps the nearby lake full and waters the plants as well” he explained.

“ _That explains the holes I saw in the kitchen”_ she thought before she let out a little “Ah!”

“Addison, what’s wrong?” Wyatt fretted.

“Nothing, it’s nothing. Just an eyelash in my eye” she dismissed. “Good thing you handed me these” and she dipped the cloth in the water and cleaned her face. “Aww…there we go” she sighed as she finally got the loose follicle out. Then she lathered up her rag and washed the dirt off of her arms. “Wow, my skin feels amazing!” she noticed after she rinsed off the suds. 

“It is amazing” he complimented making a blush appear again on her cheeks. He walked over the waterfall she was at and cleaned himself off too. “You’re more than welcome to take a dip if you want” he offered as he sat down and stuck his feet in the pool.

“Thanks, but I’m fine. After all we’re going to get dirty again after playing with the pups right?”

“Right!” Wylan’s answer rang throughout the room, making both of them laugh.

“Fair enough” he chuckled and got out.

Everyone dried themselves off and neatly hung their towels on the racks. They left the bathhouse and entered the room next to it.

“This is the salon room, where we do up our fabulous looks” he explained while dramatically preening his hair with his claws. Addison giggled at his antics, but this area was no joke.

Inside the yellow and blue lit room were massive mirrors set into each wall. They were framed with tiny wolf carvings that looked like they were running around the reflective glass. There were large, teak carved vanity tables that had numerous drawers. A few dozen padded benches were in front of each one, nicely lined in a row. Curiosity took over and Addison opened a couple of drawers. There were combs, brushes and even manicure tools. Not to mention there were a lot of pumice stones for pedicures.

“This is simply incredible! I knew you guys were amazing hair stylists but to see your salon…wow. Just wow” she beamed.

Wyatt grinned and said, “Well, let us “wow” you again. Go on pups.”

Before Addison could even get out a syllable, they grabbed her and sat her down on one of the padded benches.

“Wha? What’re yo-?”

“Addy, clus eyes puweez” Nawnu instructed.

“Umm, o-okay?” and did as she was told.

She could feel a comb gently touch her scalp as well as their tiny hands working through her hair. “Annnd…done!” they announced. “You can open your eyes now” Wylie grinned.

Addison slowly cracked each eye open and beheld wonderful hairdo on top of her head. It was similar to the style she’d gotten when she first came here, but with a few variations. There were a few more braids and it was tied up to give it a pseudo-fade effect, not to mention it wasn’t as wavy. They were able to combine her human style with the werewolf style. “Wow!” she exclaimed.

“Nailed it” Wylan fist pumped and the pups gave each other high-fives.

She faced them and praised, “You guys are so talented!” They puffed out their chests so to speak when they heard her compliment. “I’m definitely coming to you guys when I have to go back to school. I’m going to look sooo good.”

“You always look good. We just enhanced your natural beauty” Wyatt corrected and she blushed at that. “Ready to keep on going?” he asked and she nodded. “Alright. Just stay close to me okay?”

“Okay?” she replied, not sure where this cautious tone came from. It was even more confounding when he took off his vest and put it on her; she could immediately feel his lingering warmth.

“A-Are you okay with this?” he asked. He wanted to make sure that **really** having his body on full-display didn’t make her uncomfortable.

“Yeah I’m fine, but why are you giving me your vest?” she questioned.

“You’ll see” he replied and they left the salon.

As they walked deeper into the den, she noticed that the air was getting chillier. Now she understood why he gave her his vest; wolves must have a higher body temperature compared to a human. No wonder they’re walking around un-phased by the frigid air. Wyatt put a hand on her shoulder brought her closer to the side of his body.

“Wyatt, where are we going?” she asked.

“The cold room. Don’t worry, we won’t go inside” he assured.

Soon they came upon a metal ring in a stone wolf’s jaw attached to the ground. “This is it, the cold room.”

“You mean you guys have a freezer?” she asked.

“Yup. This is where we store all of the extra meat from our kills. We’re a little low – that’s why the pack went out hunting” he explained while leading her away.

“How does it stay cold?” she inquired.

“Remember those heat rocks in the water room? We also found ice rocks and we lined the cold room with them. The water that leaks through the slits on the floor travels over that room on its way to the reservoir. Since the temperature drops the further you go underground”

“The water acts as a coolant and charges the ice rocks” she finished.

“Exactly” he confirmed.

Soon they were back in front of the water room. “Thank you” she said as she handed him back his vest.

“Of course” and he put it back on. “Are you sure you’re okay though? Do you want to warm up a bit in the water room?”

“I’m fine, really I am. You’re my big, warm, cuddly wolf after all” she winked and that put a blush on him. He could even hear some of the pups giggle at his new moniker, but he wouldn’t change it for the world.

They walked back into the main area and Wyatt gestured to the air again. “Well Addison that completes the tour of your new home.” 

“And I love every bit of it” she smiled.

“Are you going to move in?” Wylie asked.

“I don’t think my parents will let me, but I can stay the night a few times for sure” she replied.

“Cool!” they responded.

“So, are you guys ready to play?” she grinned.

“Yeah!” they enthusiastically answered.

“What do you want to do?” she inquired.

“Wrestle!” they answered.

“ _Oh no_ ” Wyatt gulped.

“Awesome, let’s do it!” she smiled.

“Hold on a sec, you need your gloves!” Wyatt quickly reminded. “No one’s getting scratched up on my watch” and they dashed back into the den.

“Oh yeah, I forgot about their claws” Addison realized.

“…Addison, are-” but Wyatt’s warning came up short as the pups rushed back in and yelled, “We’re ready!” shaking their covered hands in front of them. “C’mon Addy, let’s go” and they dragged her out of the den – her infectious laugh echoing down the entrance tunnel.

 _“**sigh**…I hope this ends well”_ he worriedly thought and went after them.

They took her to a little meadow near the den. The lush grass was soft and plush underneath her feet; she couldn’t help but wiggle her toes in the natural carpet. “Alright, how do we start?” she asked.

“We take turns going up against each other. One versus the whole team. If you get pinned, you lose. Whoever pins everybody wins” Kraw explained.

“What if there’s more than one winner?” she followed up.

“Then we do a face off. Whoever wins that gets a pebble from the loser” Wylan answered.

“But I don’t have any pebbles” she replied.

“That’s okay, we’ll count those cookies as pebbles” Gnaw grinned and the rest of the pups nodded at that idea.

“Heh, alright. I can do that. How do we decide who goes first?”

“Howl off! Whoever can howl the longest goes first” Wylie replied.

“Okay!”

“Addison” Wyatt spoke.

“Yeah?” she questioned.

In his mind he wanted to warn her, to dissuade her from even participating in their hardcore activity. But like Willa said, she needed to build her confidence in order to tackle the trials. So going against every fiber of his being that screamed “ _Don’t let her do it!”_ he smiled and said, “Good luck” and gave her a thumbs up.

“Wait, you’re not joining in?” she questioned.

“Someone has to be the referee” he replied.

“Gotcha” she understood.

“Alright everyone, howl on three” and everyone nodded at Wyatt’s command. “One…two…” and they took a deep breath. “THREE!”

The silence surrounding the area was quickly replaced by their resounding howls; it even startled some birds out of the trees. Wyatt smiled at the euphoria exhibited in Addison’s howl – she was definitely having a great time. Unfortunately it didn’t help her win.

“ _Huh, third place. Not bad for a first time_ ” he thought. The order ended up being Wanda, Kraw, Addison, Wylan, Wylie, Trew, Nawnu and Gnaw. Wanda walked out into the middle of the meadow while Addison and the rest of the pups sat in a line. “ _Kinda feels like a dojo sparring match_ ” she thought.

“Are you ready Wanda?” Wyatt asked. Her moonstone glowed and her irises turned yellow. She let out a short growl, signaling she was ready. “Alright Kraw, you’re up” and the boy smirked as he stood up. His necklace flared to life – changing the color of his own eyes. He growled at his opponent – trying to intimidate her. But she didn’t flinch and merely huffed at him. He cracked his knuckles and got down on all fours.

“No biting this time around, understand?” he relayed and everyone nodded. “Alright. Ready…set…GO!” and the two pups went at it.

Needless to say Addison was shocked at how ferocious they actually were. Good thing they were wearing gloves or else they’d be leaving scratches on each other left and right as they tried to grapple one another. Eventually Kraw made Wanda tap out when pinned her to the ground with her hands above her head.

“Heh, and that’s why I’m the reigning champ” he spoke, cockiness evident in his tone. But he was still a good sport and helped her up and dusted her off.

“Hmph, whatever Kraw. Just you wait” she growled and sat at the end of the line.

A small gulp went down Wyatt’s throat when it was Addison’s turn. All of the pups were strong for sure, but Kraw was relentless – he could find a way to keep going even if all of his limbs were broken.

“Addison, are you ready?” he asked.

“Uh huh!” she replied without any waver in her voice. She stood up and walked over to Kraw.

“I’m not gonna go easy on you just cause you’re a human” he warned as he got back down on all fours.

“I wouldn’t want you to” she smirked back and got on all fours as well.

“Go get’em Addy!” Wylie cheered and that made her smile.

“**gulp**…Ready? GO!”

“GRAH!” Kraw barked and lunged at her like he did whenever they’d pounce on her.

“ _Not this time_ ” she thought and laid on her back.

 _“What the-?”_ was the collective thought of the onlookers until she clamped down on his waist with her legs.

“Whoa!” the pups marveled.

“GRRRR! RARRH!” Kraw struggled and squirmed in her grip, desperately trying to use his hands push her legs apart.

She turned over using her hand and her full weight was on him. She managed to grab his flailing arms and hold them above his head, just like what he did to Wanda. He continued to thrash and kick but ultimately tired himself out and yielded.

“Way to go Addy!” Wylie and Wanda cheered and little Nawnu clapped as fast as she could. But the boys were stunned. “No way...she took down Kraw” Gnaw whispered.

Wyatt was definitely impressed; the teens always had difficulty wrestling him because of his tenacity, but ultimately subdued him because they had the size advantage. To see Addison do it so effortlessly was just amazing.

“Are you alright Kraw?” she asked as he helped him up.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Good match” he smiled and held his hand out.

“Good match” she smiled back and shook it.

“But I’m gonna get you next time for sure!” he declared before going over to sit next to Wanda.

“Told you” Wanda smirked.

“Pfft, whatever. I still beat you” he shot back.

Now that all of his fears were put to rest, Wyatt was looking forward to see what else she could do.

Wylan tried to tire her out by running around, but she kept up with him and pounced on him. The bout between her and Wylie was more of a tickle fight and she was easily subdued. Trew managed to latch onto her legs, but she did the equivalent of a whale tail water slap and got him off. Nawnu jumped into her arms and she spun her around in a friendly game of Ring around the Rosie. Gnaw was a little trickier in their match. He managed to get on her back to get her off balance, but she did a cartwheel and that freaked him out a little so he let go, making it easy to pin him. And despite her earlier match with Kraw, Wanda had plenty of energy to spare. Their bout lasted the longest due to her scrappy zig-zag movements, but Addison eventually caught her and pinned her too.

“Wow Addison! That was amazing! You pinned everyone” Wyatt praised.

“T-Thanks” she replied, a little winded from wrestling Wanda.

“Hey, are you okay?” he fretted.

“Y-Yeah…I’m fine. But wrestling you guys is a major workout. Not even cheer camp was this intense” she breathed out.

“No kidding” he agreed.

“But I had a lot of fun too” she genuinely smiled.

“I’m glad” Wyatt smiled back. “But you can take a break until there’s face off. If you want” he offered.

“That’s sounds good to me” she readily agreed as she stretched out her back and arms. She took a seat behind the pups and continued watching the matches – her eyes fixated on every move that they made.

In the end there wasn’t a face-off and the pups looked positively beat – all of them were flat on their backs.

Wyatt couldn’t help but chuckled at the sight. It wasn’t a surprise though. They gave more than one hundred percent for almost two hours or so – on an empty stomach no less.

“Are you guys okay?” Addison asked.

“Uh…huh” Wylan tiredly replied, but it didn’t convince her one bit.

“Did I go too hard on them?” she asked Wyatt.

“Don’t worry, you were great. They just wiped themselves out. I can’t blame’em though, it’s been a long time since we had a surplus of energy” he explained.

“I see” she replied.

“Aww…and I really wanted a pebble too” Gnaw whined.

“There’s always next time Gnaw” Wyatt assured.

“But what about Addy? Does she get something?” Trew asked.

“Yeah, she beat us. And on her first try too” Wylie added.

“No one can wrestle her, we all lost. That’s the rule” Wylan reminded.

“Wyatt wretl” Nawnu pointed out and immediately everyone perked up.

“W-What?” Wyatt stuttered.

“Yeah Wyatt! You wrestle her” Kraw encouraged.

“Not happening” he firmly stated.

“Why not?” and he was shocked to hear Addison ask that; she even had her arms crossed in front of her chest. “I mean you guys pounce on me all the time, I want a shot at it. Plus, it’ll be good practice for my upcoming trials” she added.

“…For the record I’ve never pounced on you, that was mainly Willa” he corrected.

“I’ll get her later. C’mon Wyatt, let’s do this! I’m all rested up and ready to go” and to prove her point she got down on all fours again.

“…I don’t know” he worriedly replied.

“Pleeeease?” she begged and it didn’t help that all of the pups gave him the big, pleading eyes too.

“**sigh**…Alright” he reluctantly agreed.

“Yeah!” the pups cheered and suddenly their energy was renewed. They quickly got up and sat in line; Trew acted as the referee.

“Don’t go easy on me Wyatt. If I can deal with Zed then I know I have a chance against you” she stated and he huffed through his nose.

“A zombie has nothing on me” he growled as his moonstone changed his eye color and enlarged his fangs.

“Are you two ready?” Trew asked and both of them nodded their heads. “Okay. Ready…set…GO!”

Wyatt made the first move and sprinted towards her.

“ _He’s fast!_ ” she realized and narrowly dodged him. But he wasn’t through. He quickly pivoted his position and went after her again. Seeing that being on all fours was a disadvantage for her, she quickly got up and did a swift pirouette of her own to dodge his pounce again. Now they were both staring each other down – walking in a circle trying to anticipate each other’s next move.

Wyatt couldn’t stop the smile from forming on his lips – he certainly wasn’t expecting this, but it made it all the more thrilling. The pups were clearly enjoying the spectacle as well, if their rambunctious cheering was any indication.

After circling each for a while Addison decided to take a page out of Wanda’s book sprinted towards him in a zig-zag fashion to try and confuse him. All the while he remained rooted in place. “ _Just like that snow shoe rabbit”_ he thought and made his move. With lighting quick reflexes he anticipated where she’d step next and lunged, landing a full body tackle.

“GAH!” she yelped. However at the last second she had her hands in front of her and her tucked her legs in so her feet were on his stomach. As her back hit the ground she used the momentum from his attack to cause both of them to roll and slightly kick him up with her legs. Once she was on top she pushed him down with all her might.

“GUH!” he grunted, momentarily stunned. Just like she did with Kraw she clamped her legs around his and tried to pin his hands above his head. But he got out of his stupor and flopped like a fish out of water to knock her off balance. He quickly turned the tables and pinned her back on the ground. Try as she might she could overcome his natural strength, he had the size advantage here. She growled and reluctantly tapped out. Wyatt instinctively howled at his victory and the rest of the pups followed suit. His eyes returned to normal and he got up off of her.

“That…was…awesome!” he panted as he helped her up. Even though she was catching her breath, the tired smile she gave echoed his sentiments exactly. The pups felt the exact same way as they ran over and pounced on top of them.

“ _GUHUH! Oooo…I’m gonna feel that in the morning_ ” she thought when she landed on her back again; but seeing the joy and admiration on everyone’s faces momentarily erased her soreness.

“Addy you were so cool!” Wylie praised.

“Yeah! That rollie thingy was awesome!” Wylan added.

“Thank you. I guess all that tumbling practice helped out after all” she grinned.

“And you’re so fast Wyatt!” Wanda gushed.

“Supa fast!” Nawnu added.

“How’d you know where’d she be? I could barely keep up” Trew asked.

“Anticipation and instinct. You’ll develop that when you go hunting too, trust me on that” he assured.

As the pups got off of them Addison asked, “So does that mean you win the face off?”

“Heh, no no. I didn’t pin all the pups after all. But if you feel inclined to make some victory cookies for me, I won’t stop you” he grinned and she chuckled at that.

“Well, I wanna wrestle you now” Gnaw challenged.

“Huh? I thought you were tired” he pointed out.

“Nope! I’m all pumped up!” he declared.

“Yeah, I wanna wrestle you too” Kraw added.

“Heh, alright. You’re on!” he accepted and his eyes turned yellow once again. But before they could face each other, everyone suddenly froze then looked towards the trees. Addison recognized this attentive stare; something was out there. But she quickly realized it was a friendly presence when she heard a faint howl. Wyatt and the pups answered whatever message was relayed with their own howl.

“Food’s here!” Wylan exclaimed and all of the pups ran towards the den. Wyatt merely chuckled as he and Addison followed them.

“I hope they caught a lot; they used up a lot of energy. At least they’ll take a nice long nap afterwards” he commented.

“They won’t be the only ones” she replied as a little yawn escaped her lips, followed by a tight pain in her stomach. “ _Guess I burned through all my reserves_ ” she thought as she massaged her rumbling tummy. “ _I'd better get ready to head home so I can eat something too_.”

When they got to the entrance, all of the pups were eagerly awaiting the rest of the pack. They didn’t have to wait very long before the blood stained wolves emerged from the trees with proud smiles on their faces. All of the pups started drooling when they saw what they caught. Willa’s team killed two medium-sized fawns while Wynter’s group caught eight rabbits and a mule deer calf; they set the bigger animals down on the ground.

“Welcome back!” Wyatt greeted.

“Yeah, good morning everyone! Or is it afternoon now?” Addison asked.

“Hmm…just barely” he replied as he shielded his eyes so he could glance at what position the sun was in.

“Really? It felt like we were playing for long time” she remarked.

“I know humans say time flies when you’re having fun, but it can also move as slow as a snail in order to prolong it” he grinned.

“And I’m okay with that too” she smiled back.

But Willa and the rest of the pack were completely shocked by what they were seeing. Not so much the fact that Addison was talking with Wyatt, but the fact she was doing so **without a shirt on!** Not even he nor the pups had their clothes on either. They were taken out of their trance when Kraw exclaimed, “Alright! Deer and rabbit meat!”

“I call dibs on a fawn leg” Gnaw added.

“You want a whole leg?” Willa incredulously asked.

“Yeah!” he replied.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he ate the whole thing – they played for a long time. Addison even wrestled all of them and pinned’em down” Wyatt proudly stated.

“You did?!” Wynter exclaimed.

“Yep! She even wrestled Wyatt and did this cool roll move and almost got him but he escaped and pinned her” Wylan got out in one breath.

The wolves thought they were shocked before by her appearance, now they were absolutely stunned when they heard all that.

“Wait til you have some of the calf Addy, its super tender” Wylie said.

“Thank you for offering Wylie, but you go on ahead and eat your fill” Addison replied.

“Huh? Are you sure?” she asked.

“Positive. I’ll be fine” but her grumbling tummy contradicted her statement.

“Addy hungee” Nawnu huffed and she looked like she was about shove a piece of meat into Addison’s mouth.

“Well…just a teensy tiny bit, but I’ll be okay. Besides, I don’t think my body can handle raw meat. The only raw thing I’ve ever eaten is sushi.”

“What’s sushi?” Trew asked.

“Its different kinds of raw fish wrapped together with vegetables in rice and dried seaweed” she explained.

“SEAWEED?!” the pack exclaimed in disgust.

“It’s…an acquired taste” she admitted.

“You got that right. But we can catch you some rainbow trout, if you don’t mind waiting” Wynter offered.

“Or even cook you up some of this rabbit or deer” Wyatt followed up.

“Guys, don’t worry about me. I’ll eat something when I get back to town” but her stomach protested that idea.

“Forget it Addison. You’re in my care and it’s my responsibility that everyone eats” Willa refuted and Addison sighed – this was going to be just like last night.

“If I may” a tall, lean werewolf with chocolate-colored skin and dreads spoke up. “I have an idea that’ll be agreeable to Addison’s stomach.”

“Oh right, Tamuialuk! That’ll work” Wyatt agreed.

“Has anything sprouted yet?” Willa asked.

“Yep. A few bushes started bearing already, so it should be plenty for her” he replied.

“What sprouted? I mean, I get that we’ll be going to a place called the Chewing Foothills but am I going to eat…grass? Not that there’s anything wrong with it, I’m sure it’s delicious but-”

“Addison, it’s okay, you’re not going to eat grass. You’re not a rabbit, even if you move like one” he grinned and rubbed her head. “What Row has in store for you is something way better.”

“Oh, okay” she replied, relief evident in her tone. And her stomach voiced its excitement about what was potentially going inside with another growl.

“Don’t worry, it’s not that far away. Right Row?” Wyatt asked for added confirmation.

“H-Huh? Oh yeah, it’s not far at all. But uh…you might want to put some shoes on. We’ll be going over rocks” he cautioned.

“Okay, I’ll be right back” and she ran into the den.

Once she was out of earshot Willa questioned, “Alright Wyatt, what’s going on? Since when can she understand our language? And how is it possible that she pinned all the pups? Also, she does realize that she’s not wearing a shirt right?”

“She does. Look, I promise I’ll explain everything while Row takes her to get something to eat” he assured.

A moment later Addison emerges from the den with shoes on, but is still shirtless. “All set” she announces. “But we can go after you eat something, I don’t mind.”

Row smiled and replied, “Don’t worry about it, there’ll still be some meat left over. Plus, I’ll have a snack once we get there.” Addison nodded at that. “Alrighty then, let’s go” and he takes her hand and leads her to a new location that’ll undoubtedly fascinate her.

“…Definitely didn’t see that coming” Willa remarked as the pack watches them walk off.

“Like I said, Addison is full of surprises” Wyatt grinned.

“That’s for sure. C’mon, let’s cut these up and make ourselves full” and they carry their kill inside, ready to feast like no tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fabulous lifestyle of the forest werewolves! Shoot, I'd live there in a heartbeat. But what's going on with Addison? And what will Willa think of this latest development? Stayed tuned to find out! Thank you for the kind words and kudos, I really appreciate it! And the location names are actually combinations of Inupiat eskimo words. Thought it'd be cool to use.


	7. Chapter 7

“Almost there Addison, just a little further” the tall, debonair werewolf assured. Addison politely nodded but her stomach made it known that its patience was waning. In all honesty he was quite surprised at her endurance and balance. The path to Tamuialuk was a little hazardous to say the least, what with climbing and leaping across giant boulders. Not to mention the steep terrain. But she kept up with his pace and soon they were near the finish line.

Just one final obstacle remained. A sheer drop to a level dirt path below.

Addison gulped when she saw how far of a fall it was. “Uh…how do we get down? Is there a secret compartment that has a rope or something?” she asked.

“Nope, although that’s not a bad idea in case we have a broken claw” he acknowledged.

“Wait a second…we’re going to climb down?!” she incredulously asked.

“ **I’m** climbing down. **You’re** going to hold on to my back” he corrected.

“What? Are you sure?” 

“Yup. Besides, I’m used to having two pups on my back and I know you won’t squirm like they do” and Addison vehemently shook her head no. “Plus there’s a padded mat at the bottom in case I slip. But that won’t happen, I **never** slip. Not with these” and he brandished his claws.

Addison looked over the edge again, then back at him – apprehension written all over her face. “…I don’t know” she warily spoke.

“We’ll be fine, I promise. Wolf’s honor” and he crossed his heart with his moonstone. With that she finally accepted his proposition; she may not be privy to werewolf knowledge, but she knew for a fact that their necklaces were their lifelines. For him to stake that showed just how serious he was about keeping her safe.

“All aboard!” and he crouched down so she could climb up on his back. “HUP!” he grunted as he stood up – Addison made absolutely sure her limbs had an octopus grip over his body.

“Are you sure I’m not too heavy?” she asked.

“Nope, you’re good. Are you ready?”

“…Uh huh” she hesitantly replied, tightening her hold. “Then away we go!”

“ _Just look at the rock. Just look at the rock._ _Don’t. Look. Down_ ” she mentally commanded – she tried closing her eyes, but that just made it even scarier.

Thankfully he was going at a nice, steady pace with very little jostling. As he climbed down, she noticed multiple little holes in the rock where he would stick his fingers in. It wasn’t complete free solo climbing, but she was still impressed at the incredible strength and grip he had to climb this.

The bouldering werewolf managed to catch a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye. He was surprised to see she had her eyes open – though it looked like she could bore another hole into the stone. “ _Heh…she’s just like me during my first time going down”_ he thought. Soon his feet landed on the squishy pad underneath. “There were go” he announced and Addison let out a breath she didn’t even know she was holding. She carefully unlocked her limbs and got off his back.

“See? I never slip” he repeated with a confident grin.

She matched his grin with a relieved smile. “Yep, you were right. Thank you very much…um…Row was it?” she asked.

He nodded and replied, “Yep, Row Muzzrile. Aptly named too because you’ll never find a faster swimmer than me! Not even someone in a canoe can out row me. My pop always said I’m probably part salmon” and that got a chuckle out of her.

“I believe it. You have incredible strength to not only climb that but also have someone on your back” she complimented, making him shuffle a bit in place under the praise.

“Thank you, but I wasn’t always like that” he replied as they continued their trek. “My grand-pop actually pushed me off the edge my first time down here.”

“WHAT!?” she screamed.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding! …Mostly. He jumped off the edge while I was on his back” he clarified.

“What?! That’s insane!” she blurted out, until she realized that that could be a normal werewolf thing and what she said could be considered offensive. “Uh…I mean it’s unconventional for sure, but you would get down faster and uh”

“Addison” he spoke, cutting off her rambling, run-on defense. “It’s okay. And you’re right, it was insane - I was crying like a new born pup. But he kept on doing it until I kept my eyes open all the way down. My pop and auntie didn’t like what he did one bit– that was one heated yelling match lemme tell ya. Grand-pop’s methods were hardcore for sure, but in the long run they worked. It taught me that if I didn’t want to break every bone in my body, then I’d better keep my eyes open and my grip as firm as an alligator lizard. And to this day I have never slipped. One of life’s many unconventional lessons."

“You can say that again. But **please** don’t do that to me” she implored.

“Don’t worry, I won’t. I promise.”

Soon they came upon a fork in the path. Fortunately the correct route was visibly marked by hieroglyphics carved into a pair of trees off to the right. They walked along the route for about half a mile until they reached a clearing. Standing atop a flat ridge Row excitedly declared, “Here we are! Tamuialuk!” Addison walked up next to him and gazed upon the open landscape with an open mouth. “Whoooa” she marveled.

Below them was a fertile valley with three developed plots of land, each one about the size of two football fields. They were lined with multiple rows of trees, bushes, and other foliage - ready to bloom into scrumptious fruits and vegetables. Nearby were a couple of interconnected ponds that kept the area well-hydrated. She could even make out a log cabin in the distance.

“I had no idea you guys had your own farm! No wonder this place is called the Chewing Foothills. I remember Wyatt telling me that you guys aren’t picky eaters, but I didn’t know wolves liked fruit too” she expressed.

“Oh yeah, our diet is almost as diverse as a humans” he replied. “That field right there contains raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, and strawberry bushes. The plot next to it is full of my family’s one of a kind Rufus apples. Beyond that there’s another plot with carrots, green beans, peppercorn and chili peppers, but those aren’t ready yet. I’m still trying to get the hang of bell peppers though – that’s my next project.”

“Wait…you take care of this place all by yourself?!”

“Sure do. This is my special zone. The rest of the pack will help out if I need them to, but for the most part it’s just me” he confirmed.

“Wow…that’s amazing. And a lot of work” she noted.

“Eh, I don’t mind. My auntie always told me so long as you have fun and put your heart in whatever you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. This is all a labor of love, and I can’t wait for you to taste it” and Row practically dragged her down to the fields. The wonderful aroma of ripe fruit sent her stomach into a growling frenzy. “It won’t be but a tick longer Addison. I just gotta get a few things and I’ll start picking breakfast right away.”

“Row, it’s okay. Don’t listen to my stomach, I’m fine. If anything I’m just really excited to taste what you’ve grown” she assured.

Soon they arrived the log cabin she saw earlier and Addison just stared at the impressive structure, admiring every aspect of it. Once inside she realized that it was a well-organized garden shed containing every kind of tool imaginable. There were multiple skylight windows to illuminate the building, each opening coated with the same clear sap just like back at the den. In addition there was a large room off to the side that had pelts covering the floor – like a mini sleeping area. 

“This place is incredible! You guys seriously need to have your own construction company” she praised.

“Heh, thank you. The pack during my grand-pop’s era built it out of the trees around here. They’re the ones that cultivated this whole area; before it was just a secluded lakeside plain. If it was still around you would’ve been eating grass” he joked.

“Even so, it feels…cohesive. Like it belongs here, if that makes any sense” she tried to explain.

“It does. They were able to integrate our farm with nature instead of overpowering it” he clarified her words.

“Yep, that’s exactly it” she agreed.

He scanned the area until he found the items he was looking for. He put on a pair of leather gloves and a belt with a knife holster on the side – the small blade already tucked inside. Next he grabbed a little hand cloth and a wooden spoon, placing the items in his vest pocket.

“Just as a heads up, the only thing bearing right now are a couple strawberry and blueberry bushes. There are a few apples that are early bloomers though. Is…that okay?” he asked.

“That’s more than okay. Thank you Row” she assured. At this point her stomach wouldn’t mind eating grass.

“Would you mind holding these for me please?” he asked, holding out two tan wicker dishes with geometric designs weaved into them. 

“Sure.”

“Let’s go to the apple field orchard” he suggested and she nodded.

He grabbed two wooden buckets with matching lids as well and they left the cabin. She followed him to the field containing a plethora of petite trees. “I had no idea apple trees could be this short. They smell amazing though” she commented as she sniffed some of the white/pink blossoms.

“Yep. Our Rufus apple trees are a dwarf variety. Makes’em easier to pick for sure” he explained.

“I’ll say. It’s better than trying to climb a bunch of thirty-foot trees” she added.

“I wouldn’t mind” he smirked.

“Heh, I know you wouldn’t” she smiled back.

After a bit of walking they reach the lone fruit bearing tree. The coloring of the apples themselves looked like a cross between a golden delicious and a gala apple, but a lot bigger. _“Must be all the love poured into it”_ she fondly thought.

Row set the buckets down and grabbed one of the wicker dishes out of her hand. He circled the tree and used his exceptional senses to select the best ones - only five made the cut. He bowed his head and said, “Thank you for this nourishing food that we are about to receive” and Addison respectfully repeated his words. “Here you go Addison, try one” he urged and handed her the wicker dish.

She didn’t need to be told twice and grabbed an apple. She could barely hold the fruit in her hand but it didn’t stop her from taking a generous bite. “WAWF! **gulp** This is the best apple I’ve ever eaten! It’s crisp, sweet and tangy all at the same time! You have a green thumb for sure” she praised.

“And that’s not even the best part! You stay here and finish eating that apple, but hold off on eating the rest for a tick. I’ll be right back.” He grabbed one of the buckets and went into the surrounding woods.

Addison continued to happily munch away while walking around the orchard – taking in the beautiful surroundings. The chill atmosphere was amped up another notch when she heard melodic howling in the distance. “ _Wow…all of the wolves have such wonderful voices. Hopefully I’ll be able to howl like that one day”_ she mused to herself as she closed her eyes and swayed to Row’s song. But just as quickly as he started, he stopped. “ _Well…that’s disappointing. I wonder what that was all about_ ” she thought. She didn’t have to wonder for long until the wandering vocalist came back.

“Hey, sorry I took so long” he apologized.

“You weren’t gone long at all. I heard you howling earlier – you have a lovely voice” she complimented.

“Thank you” he smiled.

“Just singing a little song to yourself?” she asked.

“No, I was actually singing to my bee friends” he explained.

“Bees? You’re friends with bees?” she incredulously asked.

“Sure am. I know, a little odd right?” he ventured.

“Not at all. Besides, remember who you’re talking to. I’m the epitome of what’s considered odd” she replied.

“Yeah, you’re definitely not normal. And that’s awesome – I’d take your normal over regular ol’ human normal any day” and that made her smile.

“So how’d you end up becoming friends with bees anyway? Did you give them names?” she asked.

He chuckled and replied, “No, that’d be way too many to name. Plus most of them pass away every few moons.”

“Really?”

“Yeah...that’s just their lifespan. The queen lives a year or two at most. But they always teach the next generation that I’m an ally.”

“I didn’t know bees had a memory like that” Addison said.

“Me either, but I guess I left one heck of an impression. Y’see I saved their hive from a group raccoons a while back. Those little punks were really tearin’ into it too. My pops and auntie weren’t too thrilled when I told them, mainly because I could’ve been stung or bitten by a raccoon and gotten rabies. But they were proud of me for doing the right thing. I went back a couple days later to check on’em. They moved to a different location and started building a new hive. No surprise there – their old home was jacked up. But when they sensed me coming over, they went into full-on defensive mode. It was liking being in a buzzing bramble bush – they were everywhere! I was about to high-tail it outta there until all of a sudden, they stopped. A few of them approached me and I didn’t move a muscle. While I can’t understand their buzzing sounds, I can interpret their body language. It seemed like they were sniffing me – I didn’t even know bees could do that. Somehow they were able to sense that I was the one who saved them. Or at the very least I figured them not attacking me was a good sign. And that’s how our beautiful friendship started. I’d protect them from any threats and they pollinate my trees and give me some of their treasure.” He took off the lid of the bucket and showed her the liquid amber he received.

“Whoa, that’s some dark honey. Or is that just because of the color of the wood?” she asked.

“Naw, it’s just the wood. It’s actually really light in color and it tastes great over an apple. Would you like to try some?” he asked.

“Sure! But uh…what do I do with the core?" she asked, holding up the remains of her apple.

“You can put it in that other bucket for now, I’ll throw it in the compost bin later.”

“Okay” and she tossed it in.

He took the wooden spoon out of his pocket and stuck it in the bucket, stirring the honey thoroughly. “How’d you squeeze all that honey out so quickly? And without getting any honeycomb bits in it?” she questioned.

“Their hive is about the size of two of these trees. They show me where it’s oozing the most and I just stick my bucket underneath it” he answered.

“What?! That’s cool and scary at the same time” she shuddered.

“Yeah, you can actually smell it from here. ...Well I can anyway. But approaching a hive that big is just asking for trouble. Then again, getting close to any hive puts you at risk. That’s why I always announce my presence by howling” he explained.

“ _Almost like ringing a doorbell_ ” she thought. “Do they only recognize a certain melody?”

“Yup. It’s pretty funny actually. I was just howling to myself while taking a break one day, and the next thing I know they’re buzzing the same melody right above my head. From that point on that became our code word so to speak” he replied. “There were go, all set” and she crouched down next to him. Both of them grabbed an apple and he drizzled the sweet treasure on top. They gave their thanks for the food and simultaneously took a bite. Simultaneous “Mmmmmmms!” came out of their mouths; the sight of her devouring the rest of the apple was more than enough praise for him, especially when she licked the honey off her fingers.

“May I have some more honey please?” she asked.

“Sure you can” he smiled and drizzled some over another one.

“Yummmm! It’s like a caramel apple that doesn’t get stuck to your teeth. It’s amaaaazing” she gushed as she tore into it. Pretty soon the wicker dish was empty.

“Ready for the second course?” he asked.

“Yes please” she replied. He grabbed the buckets and they walked over to the berry field.

“Wow, they look so plump and juicy” she observed when they got up close to the couple of bushes that were bearing fruit.

“Let’s hope so. The first batch tends to be hit or miss. But be careful though, those bushes are riddled with thorns. I don’t want you getting all scratched up” and she backed away. He sifted through the bushes with profound speed and precision, using his knife to gently cut each one off of the stem until both wicker dishes were filled to the brim. “Alright, all that’s left is to clean off any little debris and the next course is served.” He hands her the dishes and she follows him to an iron water pump.

“Did you guys “permanently borrow” this from Seabrook?” she asked.

“Something like that, but we enhanced it a bit” he replied. “Mind holding the berries underneath the spout?” and she did what was requested of her. Row pressed the lever a few times until water started flowing out.

“Huh, the water’s warm. Are there little heat stones in the well?” she asked.

“Yup, that’s our enhancement. It kills off all the bad bacteria that might be swimming around. But how do you know about heat stones?” he asked back.

“Wyatt and the pups gave me tour of the den while you guys were out hunting” she answered.

“Ahh, gotcha. So what do you think of our humble, little abode?” he asked.

“Pssh! Humble is an understatement and it ain’t hardly little. It’s amazing! Prodigious! Magnificent! I mean I could go on and on about how phenomenal everything is!” she exalted.

“Well hold on, let’s see if my berries are worthy of such high praise” he grinned and took off his gloves so he could wash his hands. He dried them off using the hand cloth and she handed him a dish. He picked a strawberry from the bunch and Addison followed suit. They paid their respects and chomped down. Another round of content “Mmmmms!” came out of their chewing mouths.

“I’d say these are a hit and are definitely worthy of high praise” Addison acknowledged and hastily ate another three out of her dish – throwing the leafy tops into the makeshift trashcan.

“I’m glad. Heh, you look like you just caught a moose” he pointed to the red juice around her lips.

“Pff. Yeah right, that’d be the day” she replied and licked the juice off.

“Hey, never say never. You’ve already done some amazing things, why not add “I hunted a moose” to the list?”

She hummed at that. “I guess. I mean stranger things have happened, though it’d take a miracle on my end.”

“I’m okay with delicious miracles” he said as he licked his lips.

“Speaking of, did I get all of it? I don’t want to waste the good stuff” she asked.

He smiled and replied, “Yep, you’re good. C’mon, let’s go eat these somewhere a little more comfortable.”

She followed him to an exquisitely carved wooden bench overlooking one of the small ponds. A few dragonflies skim across the surface, rippling the previously still water. A couple clouds ride along the invisible current, adding to the picturesque scene that looked straight out a vacation commercial.

Addison happily sighs and sinks further into her seat. “This is soooo relaxing. And these blueberries are out of this world” she complimented as she popped a few in her mouth. "Are my lips blue now too?”

“No, but your tongue is purple” he grinned and they got a laugh out of that.

“Y’know…humans could really learn a lot from you guys. I mean, we’re sorta getting back to living with nature and being more eco-friendly, but I wish we realized it a lot sooner instead of just plowing and cutting down everything in sight” she reflected.

“Hmmm…it’s funny you say that. I know that the humans have caused a lot of damage, but we were able to turn their destructive habits into a blessing.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” she asked.

“You wanna hear a story?” he asked. She nodded wholeheartedly and gave him her full attention.

* * *

“We didn’t always live in our den. Waaaay before I was born, our pack lived further out in order to hide from the humans. And from what my grand-pop told me, hunting for food in our old territory was pretty difficult. They adapted the best they could, but it was still hard. Then one day a human woman, along with her son and daughter made a home on the outskirts of our old stomping grounds. They cut down trees and started a farm – planting a wide variety of crops. However their activity scattered the remaining herds further away. The werewolves of that time wanted to chase'em off and reclaim their land. But my great granny, who was the **alpha** back then, was against it. Of course they were absolutely furious and rightfully so.

“ _Why should they be allowed to stay!?”_ _“They’ve taken so much already, including our moonstone!”_ _“It because of them we’re here in the first place!”_ were some of the things they said, and all of them were valid.

But she countered all of that with her own valid point. _“Even though their family is small, it isn’t worth the risk. The settlers were few in numbers too, and looked what happened. Too many lives have already been lost at the hands of humans, and I’d rather be a human’s pet than see any more of my pack slaughtered. Instead I suggest we observe them, just as our ancestors have done. If they truly become a threat then we will enact the necessary defensive actions.”_ They reluctantly agreed to the compromise.

My great granny took it upon herself to watch them work from afar. She took note of the care the family showed the earth as compared to other humans they’ve encountered. They never took more than what was needed, and always paid their respects to the land that provided for them.

Needless to say she was intrigued by them.

When it was time for the first harvest, she managed to bypass their bell string sensors that would alert the family of any wild animals, and grabbed a few samples of what they grew. Some of the wolves tasted the fruit and were amazed by how good it was. Mind you they had had fruit before, but nothing like this. It wasn’t bitter, dried out or covered in aphids. Great granny was right in her approach – now they were interested in observing and learning the human’s techniques because it provided an additional, and very nutritional, food source.

But it almost didn’t happen.

One twilit night the mom was finishing up her chores for the day when three famished grizzly bears suddenly entered her farm. Somehow they managed to get past the bell alarms, which is saying something because bears are pretty clumsy. But the human was completely unprepared for this encounter – it’s one thing to shoo away birds, raccoons, or the occasional deer…but a group of bears was an entirely different story. And they weren’t going to be satisfied with just a tiny sample either. The mother tried to scare them away by swiping at them with whatever farming tool she had on hand, but it didn’t faze’em. They were determined to eat their fill. Of course one of them got aggressive and knocked the tool out of her hand, along with giving her a nasty gash to her arm. Great granny watched the scene unfold, praying that the bears would see that they bested her and just eat the fruit. While two of them did just that, the biggest one wanted to make sure the threat was dealt with permanently.

All the while my great granny was having the biggest internal debate of her life. On one hand, if the mom was killed it would be easier for the pack to reclaim their land since the kids would be too distraught to defend themselves. But on the other hand, if she were to perish then they couldn’t observe and learn how to grow their own fruits. Not to mention…she was a mother too. She saw how she didn’t call out for help from her children, how she struggled to stand and face the bear. She was determined to not only protect her farm, but her family as well. And she knew for a fact that they’d be looking for her if she didn’t return. She couldn’t live with herself if she had the opportunity to prevent those children from being orphaned and didn’t take it.

_“My pack…please forgive me.”_

She let out the loudest howl she could muster, hoping it would not only scare the bears away but also scare the children into the house, just in case they were nearby. But it didn’t do any good – all they did was stand up and look around to see where the sound came from, then turned their attention back to the injured mother.

Great granny quickly realized that a standing swipe would instantly kill the human, so she did the unthinkable and rushed in. She tripped the alarms on purpose, redirecting their attention onto her. Using the energy within her moonstone she transformed in a lycanthrope, the true form of our kind, right in front of the human and took on the three bears. Well…the biggest one anyway – the other two had enough sense not to mess with my great granny and ran away. It really wasn’t much of a fight, but that’s what happens when a bear who thinks he’s all that goes up against an experienced alpha. After getting a few cuts from her sharp claws, he got the hint and took off too.

Meanwhile the mother was absolutely stunned – she didn’t even try to back away. Then again I’d be frozen in place too if I saw all that. But great granny knew she didn’t have time to dillydally, the rest of the pack would be there soon to provide backup. She quickly tore off a piece of her clothing and tied it around the mother’s arm to try and stop the bleeding. And what was surprising was that the human actually **let** her; she was able to realize that my great granny wanted to help. Once she finished tying up the bandage, she ran back into the woods and right into great grandpop. He was already in his lycanthrope form, ready to maul anything in sight. She assured him that she wasn’t in danger and promised to explain everything once they were back home. Naturally they had mixed feelings about what she did, but she wouldn’t change a thing. “ _And you shouldn’t_ ” great grandpop told her. _“You have a noble heart my love, and you trusted it despite all the potential danger. You did the right thing and I’m proud of you.”_

And her selfless act bore fruits of their own.

They family disappeared for a few days after the bear attack, and the pack prepared themselves for a possible fight. But it didn’t come to that. Turns out the family went into town to get medical treatment for their mother. And when they came back it was just them still – no other humans were with them. The kids continued to harvest the crops while the mother recovered. But during that time, the mom would come out despite her injury and howl. And she did it for many days.

Great granny was confused for sure because nothing she howled made a lick of sense. And she always did it during twilight, the same time she saved her from those bears. She discussed it with the pack and it was decided that she’d answer call, but great grand-pop and a few others would be nearby just in case.

Soon the time came.

The mom howled again and she entered the farm, tripping the alarm system on purpose. This time her children were nearby and ran over to where she was. Of course they gasped when they saw her. My great granny was quite imposing even without being in her lycanthrope form. She had that silent air type authority that could make anyone stop whatever they were doing, and those kids felt it. But instead of being still, they pulled their knives out. Don’t think she didn’t growl at them, but the mother quickly interceded. _“No! Do not hurt her! Throw your knives away!”_ she spoke. They looked at each other then back at my growling great granny. “ _Now_!” she commanded and they hesitantly heeded her words and threw’em off. That surprised the heck out of the pack when they saw that. And it wasn’t a little toss either, they chucked those things far! Like from here to the apple orchard. Now that the threat was gone, the mother walked up to great granny…staring at her the whole time. It was almost like what the bees did to me – she was sniffing her in her own way. But my great granny did it literally. She was sensing if the mother had any ill intentions – it’s one of our instinctual abilities. Surprisingly she was in the clear.

 _“…It’s you. It’s really you! I was hoping you would come back”_ the mother happily said. Great granny raised an eyebrow up when she heard that. Of course the kids were skeptical.

 _“Mom…a-are you sure that’s her? She doesn’t look **anything** like you described”_ the daughter whispered.

“ _And I don’t think she can understand us. She’s just starin-”_

 _“I **can** understand you, human child”_ she cut off the son and spooked them into shutting up.

 _“…Please forgive my bluntness, but are you a w-werewolf?”_ the mother hesistantly asked.

 _“…I am”_ she warily replied, but the mom looked more fascinated than fearful.

 _“Incredible. I-I hope I didn’t say anything offensive when I howled for you, and if I did I’m truly sorry. I didn’t know how else to call for you”_ she explained.

 _“Why **did** you call for me?”_ great granny asked.

_“To thank you. You saved my life, my children’s lives and my livelihood from those bears. You were truly a God send and I am forever grateful.”_

If the pack was surprised before, they were completely flabbergasted when they heard that. The children slowly got over their trepidation and echoed their mother’s sentiments. _“Thank you Mrs. Werewolf for saving our mom!” “Yes! Thank you very much!”_

My great granny showed them the warmest smile and nodded in return. _“I am a werewolf, but I am also a mother of two as well. I just could not sit idly by”_ she explained.

 _“And again I truly thank you for your kindness. My name is **Elizabeth** Kirkland, and this is my son Aaron and my daughter Gabrielle. It is an honor to make your acquaintance”_ she introduced. _“Won’t you please tell us your name?”_

 _“I cannot. I have already put myself at risk by talking to you”_ she explained and turned to leave.

 _“Wait! Please! I understand your concern, but I promise you that we will not tell anyone about you or your kind”_ and the children crossed their hearts.

Great granny sensed their sincerity, but the pack’s safety always came first. _“Thank you…but I must go. My pack is waiting for me”_ and to punctuate her point the rest of the pack howled for her. It was also meant to be a warning too – mess with me you take on everyone kind of thing.

_“…I understand. But please know that you are always welcome here…though I have a feeling you’re the one who allowed me to be here in the first place. I thank you for that too.”_

Great granny was impressed by her insight since she wasn’t too far off. She nodded and replied, _“I will return to take you up on your offer…one day.”_

“ _Then I shall wait with baited breath. I look forward to seeing you again…Rufus.”_

_“Rufus?”_

_“I respect your wishes that you cannot tell me your name, so I decided to give you a nickname instead. Rufus means “red haired” in Latin and I…well I thought it was perfect for your lovely red fur. Is…is that alright?”_

Great granny smiled and said, “ _I like it. Thank you Elizabeth_ ” and took off with the pack. Needless to say there was to discuss after that encounter. Most of them were still iffy, but great granny decided to cautiously forge a relationship with the humans, now that she knew they weren’t a threat. She met up with Elizabeth again a few days later and the two really hit it off. And it was a genuine relationship too – not one where she was only being nice just because great granny saved her. Elizabeth **really** did care.

And they sure did talk a lot, but it was all good. Great granny dispelled a lot of the stories that were told about werewolves and even taught her how to howl a proper greeting. Well…at least close enough to one. In turn Elizabeth shared her story. She moved out here for a fresh start after difficulties with her former mate – to prove to herself that she was strong enough to take care of things as well as raise a family, something that great granny deeply respected.

As they spent more time together she decided to introduce my great grandpop, grandpop and grand auntie to’em. At this point it was like seeing extended family; they were able to see beyond biological differences and be themselves. Elizabeth taught great granny and great grandpop farming techniques, how to preserve crops for the winter and even cooking recipes; great grandpop turned out to be a natural chef. They shared that information with the rest of the pack and there were plenty of wolves that had a green thumb and a nose for cooking as well.

In return they helped out with harvesting, protecting the farm from wild animals and providing them with extra meat from their hunts. Whenever it was time for the harvests Elizabeth and great grandpop would cook up a big feast with what they’ve grown, inviting the pack to come and partake. Some of them did, but the majority chose not to. She understood their reluctance, but still wanted to include them. So she made dishes for the wolves to take back to the den. Eventually she started to earn their trust. My grandpop and grand auntie definitely trusted Aaron and Gabrielle – they and some of the other pups would play with them all the time; it was awesome! The pack even allowed the kids to explore a portion of their territory and pointed out different plants that were safe to eat, increasing their recipe repertoire. Sometimes a few of them would secretly accompany the family when they went into town to get herbs and spices – at least to the outskirts. They could smell out the best ones and give the kids signals before they bought any.

It was a beautiful thing…but not realistic.

Even though these humans were a rarity in terms of their kindness towards us, the vast majority of them still viewed us as monsters. Or at the very least scary legends to tell the youth to keep’em in line. Although Elizabeth never told the townsfolk about us, it didn’t stop her from trying to persuade them to try to see things in a different perspective whenever they talked about us in passing. Of course she got ridiculed and it frustrated her, Aaron and Gabrielle to no end. When she told great granny what happened, she appreciated the gesture but told her, “ _You can lead your horse to water but can’t make him drink. You can give a human wisdom but can’t make him think.”_

_“**sigh** You are right. I cannot change anyone’s mind if they do not want to. I’ve noticed it’s hard for anyone to accept they’re wrong about anything, but ultimately they’ll have to if they want to truly mature. That’s another thing I’m grateful to you for. Not only for saving my life, but for also opening up my mind.”_

_“I feel the same way. I’m glad that our relationship has expanded the minds of myself and my pack to different possibilities.”_

_“And all it took was a little compassion. How can such a simple concept elude so many?”_

_“Fear has a way of doing that. …I won’t lie, I had to conqueror my own trepidation in order to allow myself to rescue you.”_

“ _I know, and I do not hold that against you. You are still my friend Rufus_.”

“ _Just as you are mine Elizabeth. And our families are one.”_

_“Indeed they are.”_

Eventually Elizabeth grew old and it was time for her to pass on. The entire pack accompanied Aaron and Gabrielle to say their farewells and pay their respects. Soon it was just my great granny and her children with her by her beside.

_“Aaron…Gabrielle, you both mean the world to me. Please look after one another. Whoever you find…may they be as kind as the pack. And whatever you do…first and foremost, show compassion. If both of you will stand in agreement with me…my final request is to leave the farm to the werewolf pack. You will have all of the money in my savings and my possessions…but the land is theirs.”_

They readily agreed to their mother’s request, but great granny couldn’t believe it. Before she could even get a word in, Elizabeth stopped her. _“Rufus, this is **your** territory. Thank you…for letting us borrow it. And…for everything. This second half of my life was something I never expected…but incredible all the same. I cherished every moment of it”_ she smiled.

With a watery smile she replied, _“As have I. I promise that your legacy will live on with us, for we are one.”_

_“We…are…one. Thank you…Rufus.”_

_“Enjoy your eternity of bliss Elizabeth.”_ And with a final nod…she passed away.

The pack howled at twilight, their way of sending her spirit off to the afterlife. Aaron and Gabrielle gathered everything that was left to them and said their heartfelt goodbyes. They even gave us the spout and some of the cast iron pans. “ _Thank you for everything, we shall never forget your kindness. As such, we will do everything in our power to ensure that no one else comes into your woods”_ Aaron assured.

And sure enough they kept their promise…in an unexpected way.

Turns out both of them were well-respected botanists in Seabrook - using what they learned from us as well as their own studies. Whatever they said about plants the people usually adhered to their expertise. So they told the townsfolk about aconite, a plant also known as wolf’s bane, blooming at an exponential rate in the forest and making it unsafe for humans to be there. Therefore they suggested that the entire area be closed off until the threat passed; they gave two hundred years or so for the plant to reach its peak amount before dying off. While the plant is poisonous, it actually only grows in a very small area of our woods and we know how to deal with it. They fabricated the report in order to protect us. Most of the people were easily persuaded due to seeing the effects of aconite poisoning firsthand, but there were a few skeptics. They didn’t even budge when they added the threat of territorial predators. Unfortunately it was only when they used their deep rooted superstitions about werewolves that they finally agreed. And boom, you have the Forbidden Forest.

They snuck back to the farm to let great granny know what happened and asked for her forgiveness. _“For what? You kept your word. You were able to preserve our home and then some; we are truly grateful for what you’ve done. But…I am saddened that this will be the last time we see each other. In order for the ruse to work, you cannot come back here.”_

And she was right.

_“I hope that one day our descendants will be able to meet each other. Until then, may blessings shine upon your lives.”_

They gave their final goodbyes and left to live their own lives in new places, for their scent was no longer in Seabrook."

* * *

Addison just stared at him, utterly slack-jawed. “Wow…what an incredible story. But…was it okay to tell me all that? I’m not a part of the pack yet. I don’t want you to get in trouble” she fretted.

“It’s okay, they’re not werewolf secrets. I was just talking about my family, that’s all. It’s easy to talk about something personal with someone you trust” he smiled as he glanced at her bare chest.

Addison followed his line of sight and realized what he meant. “I’m honored” she smiled.

“Heh, I can sense you have a lot of questions for me.”

“Y-Yeah” she sheepishly admitted.

“Well, let’s hear’em” he encouraged.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Yup. If it’s a secret I keep my lips shut, and if it’s not then I’ll talk your ear off again” and she chuckled at that.

“I could listen to every single one of the wolves’ stories and not be bored” she said.

“I know you wouldn’t. But let me refill your dish first.”

“Huh?” and she looked down and saw it was indeed empty. “I-I didn’t even realize I ate them all” she blushed.

“Good food always goes well with good stories” he grinned and poured half of his stash into hers.

“Thank you.”

“Would you like some honey on top?” he offered.

“No thank you.”

Row went ahead and drizzled some over his and mixed it all together. “Go on ahead, ask away” he assured after eating a huge handful.

“O-Oh, okay. Um…you said your great grandmother was an alpha. How is it that you’re not the alpha or is that a secret selection process?”

“Secret selection process” he replied while licking his lips.

“Got it. Okay. Um, I know Rufus was your great grandmother’s nickname, but what was her real name?”

“Yahtow. Yahtow Muzzrile.”

“Yahtow…blue” Addison translated.

“That’s right. Her eyes were as blue as the ocean” he described.

“Just like yours” she pointed out.

“Uh huh, one of the Muzzrile traits. My whole family on her side had’em, and my mom’s side had hazel. Put’em together and you get these pretty peepers” he proudly declared, making her laugh.

“I’ll say. Can you tell me the names of the rest of your family?”

“I’ll just go up to my great grand-wolves or else we’ll be here a while” and he listed what felt like his entire lineage.

“…Whoa, that’s a lot. Now I’m suddenly curious about my own family tree" she commented as she twiddled a lock of her white hair in her fingers. "By the way, did your family name the Rufus apples after your great grandmother?”

“Nope, that was Elizabeth” he answered.

“After her fur color?” she knowingly smiled.

“Yep” he smiled back.

“That’s so cool! It’s still incredible how Rufus and Elizabeth were such good friends. And because of that friendship the Forbidden Forest was created. _No way I'm going to_ _ask about changing the name now"_ she quietly uttered to herself. "And not only do you have stories and memories, but you have something actually descended from that time other than children. I mean this whole farm is a living legacy!”

Row looked down at the blueberry between his fingers before looking out towards the pond. “Yeah…it is impressive. For many years my family kept up the farm, making it even better than when it started…until we had to leave our old den. My grandpop, pop, mama and auntie gathered as many seeds as they could and started a new farm here. But…my mom passed away when I was born, and my grandpop passed a few years later. Soon it was just me, pop and auntie…until they got sick. They went to the hospice area with the rest of the adults while we searched for the moonstone. They…they didn’t make it” he quietly uttered.

Addison remained quiet, unsure of what to say. Instead she scooted a little closer, offering some form of nonverbal condolences.

“…Keeping this farm going is how I remember them. It’s also therapeutic in a way…what with everything that went on” he managed to get out, his voice hitching and thick with emotion. He wiped his eyes and let out a deep exhale.

Instinctively Addison put her hand on top of his head and gently ruffled his dreads. He jolted out of his blue mood and quickly turned his head to stare at her – blinking quizzically.

Fearing that she had overstepped his boundaries, she started retracting her hand until he showed a soft smile and leaned in. “Y’know…I just realized something. Everything came around full circle.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“My great granny helped a human in their greatest time of need. And when we needed help, you were there. And all it took was a little compassion. Then…and right now” he fondly said.

Addison smiled and replied, “It really wasn’t much, I’m just glad I could help. Plus, the same thing can be said about you. You helped the bees in their greatest time of need. And you shared what little crop there was with me. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree huh?”

That got a small chuckle out of him. “I suppose not” he acknowledged. Addison gave his head one last ruffle and they resumed eating in comfortable silence.

“Hey Row?”

“Hm?”

“When it’s time for your harvest, would it be alright if I could have a few of your apples and berries to bake with?”

“If we get to taste what you make, then my farm is your farm” he winked.

“You know it! The blueberries would be especially great inside some pancakes. And with the honey on top, oohh it’d be absolute heaven in your mouth” and she emphasized it with a chef’s kiss.

“What’re pancakes? Are they like cookies?” he asked.

“Kinda. They use the same ingredients, but they’re cooked in totally different ways” and she told him what they were and how they’re made.

“Those DO sound amazing! I can’t wait to try’em.”

“I’m no pancake expert, but I’ll try my best.”

“Hey, so long as love is put into it it’ll be all good.”

“Just like your farm. I know your family would be very proud of what you’ve continued to do” she praised.

Row showed a grateful smile and said, “Thank you Addison.” Soon they finished up their meal and washed up their dishes. “You go on ahead and chill here, I’ll put these away.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yup! Be back in a tick” and he grabbed the dishes and the trash bucket.

Addison stood up and stretched a bit before patting her full belly. “Are you good?” she jokingly asked her stomach before licking her sweet lips again. She sighed contentedly as she looked across the landscape. _“A little compassion does go a long way”_ she thought.

Soon Row came back and offered her a narrow wooden canister. “Would you like some water?”

“Yes please” and she graciously took it. She drank her fill and handed it back to him so he could hydrate too. He used the spout to refill it and attached it to a holder on the honey bucket. He picked it up and asked, “Ready to go home?” “Yup, let’s go.”

Going back up the wall was a much easier affair, even if she was holding onto him with one arm while she held the bucket.

“Thank you” he said.

“No problem. I wasn’t about to let go of this liquid goodness” she replied.

“I can’t wait to pour it over some bones!” he smiled.

“Oh yeah, I remember you guys mentioning something about sweet bones. Is that how you make them?” she asked.

“Oh no, it’s the elder’s secret recipe. Honey is definitely used, but they do something else to it too. They keep it a secret so we don’t snack on’em all the time. Still hasn’t stopped me from tryin’ to recreate it, but I haven’t figured it out yet.”

“Don’t worry, I know you will. Or you’ll make something even better, then it’ll be your own secret recipe” she winked. He smiled and nodded at that.

When they reached the halfway point Row howled to let the pack know they were almost home; they got an exuberant one in return.

But when they finally walked inside the den, something was clearly amiss.

Willa was standing up with her arms crossed in front of her chest while everyone else was on all fours. Their eyes were as luminous as megawatt lightbulbs, enhancing the shiny fangs all of them were baring. The cacophony of menacing growls echoed off the painted walls; even the light of the moonstone was agitatedly pulsing.

Before Addison could even ask what was wrong, the alpha barked at Row. She wasn’t able to catch what she said, but whatever is was it made him snarl at her – startling her into jumping in place. He quickly got in formation with the others, but in his haste he nearly dropped the honey bucket. Addison managed to catch it in time and carefully set it down. But if anything that made them growl even louder. She flinched but quickly stood back up. At this point it was obvious that all of this animosity was directed towards her.

 _“Wh-What’s going on?! What did I do?!”_ she thought. It didn’t make any sense, especially when she noticed the pups creep closer to the front of the group. I mean just an hour ago they were all playing together! But she didn’t have to wonder for long before Willa strode right up to her; a nervous gulp went down her throat when she noticed her fists clenched at her sides.

“Addison” she sternly spoke.

“Y-Yes?” she squeaked out; her heart felt like it was beating out of her chest.

“As alpha of this pack I am always on guard, and I hate being caught off it. So imagine my surprise when my brother and the pups told me what you did” she growled, baring her fangs.

Oh man…she was livid! Addison could see the simmering rage in her eyes. She gulped again, feeling extremely exposed under her incriminating stare. But she didn’t take a step back nor raise her arms to try and shield her body. These were her friends, and deep down she knew they wouldn’t hurt her no matter what. Whatever she did wrong, she would ask for their forgiveness and hopefully they’d give her a chance to make amends.

“Do you know what this means?” she snarled as her necklace flared up, initiating her wolf out. Addison meekly shook her head “no” and instinctively closed her eyes. “This means…you passed your first trial” she announced and Addison’s eyes shot open. “I- I-wait w-what?!” she sputtered out.

Immediately the packs’ growls turned into happy howls and the pups ran towards her and affectionately pounced on her. “OOFOH!!” she grunted as she landed on her back; she squirmed in delight as they nuzzled and licked her.

“Way to go Addy!” Wylie praised.

“Addy do good!” Nawnu added.

“H-Heyaha! Holdha h-hold on!” she tried to speak in the midst of her laughter, making the rest of the pack giggle as well.

Willa shooed them off of her and smirked as she watched the girl try and catch her breath. “You alright there white hair?” she chuckled as she held her hand out to her.

“Y-Yeah” she airily replied and accepted the assist. “B-But I don’t understand.”

“What’s there to understand? Like I said, you passed your first trial: The Trial of Respect” she repeated.

“Congratulations Addison!” Wynter exclaimed before she pounced on her too, but she cushioned their descent with her arm.

“Uugggghhh… _I should’ve just stayed on the floor_ ” she thought, but smiled at the gesture none the less.

A devious grin formed on Willa’s lips and she declared, “Anyone else who wants to get in on this better do it now.”

“Huh?! W-Wait HoGUHUH!!” but Addison’s protests fell on deaf ears as the rest of the wolves joined the jubilant pile. She groaned under the weight, but least it didn’t hurt...much. She managed to catch Willa laughing at her expense. “…You’re enjoying this way too much” she remarked, trying her best to sound annoyed but couldn’t fake it – especially when she was being lovingly smothered.

“Oh you **know** I am. Besides, it’s not every day we get to celebrate someone actually passing a trial. And the hardest one no less” she grinned.

“Huh? What do you mean? And what exactly did I even do?” she questioned.

At that everyone got off of her and Willa held her hand out again. She looked at it, then at everyone else. “I think I’ll stay right here on the floor, thank you” she stated.

“Oh c’mon white hair, they’re done pouncing” Willa rolled her eyes. Addison still eyed the out-stretched hand skeptically, but eventually took the assist.

“So, how did I pass the respect trial? I didn’t even know it was going on.”

“It was yet wasn’t at the same time. Y’see the trial of respect is more of an observational assessment of how the new wolf interacts with the pack. Wolves in the past never passed the trial because while they respected the alpha, they’d always try to assert dominance over the other wolves to the point of bullying them. And that is **not** tolerated in our pack. You on the other hand respected our ways and our culture just like that” and Willa snapped her fingers for added emphasis. “When my brother tried to conform to your comfort level, you didn’t let him. You made him feel okay being himself with someone other than us. Not to mention little Wylie told us what you did last night. You comforted her after she had that nightmare by relating to her, and of course cuddling her. You even put the whole pack at ease with your singing and heartwarming howl” she recounted.

“Y-You guys heard me?!” she blushed.

“We did” Wyatt smiled.

“We didn’t want to interrupt the concert, so we kept quiet and pretended to be asleep” Wynter explained.

“And may I say, you have a lovely voice” Row added, echoing the compliment she gave him earlier.

“And you did it all without any prompting, it was all you” Willa finished.

“But…but it’s nothing special. Certainly not worth passing a trial over” she refuted.

“It is to me” Wyatt stepped in.

“Addison, I’ll say this. If every human were like you, we wouldn’t have needed to hide. What you think is commonplace in your sight isn’t the case for others. But that just shows what’s inside your heart” Willa smiled and the pack howled their cheers for her.

Still, Addison had to be sure. “…Really?”

Willa huffed through her nose and asked, “Do you doubt the words of an alpha?”

Addison did a double take before a small smile crossed her lips. “No, of course not.”

“Then you know what I said is true. Congratulations Addison” she praised.

“Thank you” Addison gratefully replied, but her smile disappeared when she noticed Willa’s eyes change color and narrow a bit.

And she _knew_ what that meant.

“Willa no! DonUHUF!” and she was pinned again. “Uggh…I thought you said you guys were done!”

“Nope, I said **they** were done. I didn’t get mine in” she corrected and booped her on the nose with her finger.

Addison rolled her eyes and asked, “I’m guessing the whole growling act was your idea too?”

“Yep” she admitted with no shame.

“Sorry we scared you Addy” Wylie apologized.

“And by the way, thanks for catching the honey bucket” Row added.

“No worries, though I was more confused than scared; I knew you guys wouldn’t hurt me. But you sure do love almost giving me a heart attack though don’t you?”

“Like I said, we wolves like to tease.”

“More like **you** like to tease” she muttered. Willa just shrugged her shoulders when she heard that.

Addison could only shake her head. “You really are something else alpha” she said.

“And so are you white hair” she smirked and helped her up again for the umpteenth time.

“So…what happens now?” she asked.

“Now you’ll do the hunting trial” Willa answered.

“What? Really?”

She nodded and explained, “Wyatt told me how your lesson went and I believe you’re ready. Besides, all the wolves that have attempted the alpha trials typically pass the hunting one first because it’s natural for us. So, show us what you can do.”

 _“…Talk about déjà vu”_ she thought; those were the exact words she told the wolves when she invited them to cheer with the team. They didn’t have any training but they were still impressive. Maybe Willa wanted to see what she could do on her own, especially given what just happened with the respect trial. “I’ll do my best” she resolutely replied, garnering a few approving nods from the pack.

“I’d expect nothing less. You’ll do it the day after tomorrow. Rest up and be back here at sunrise” she instructed.

“Got it.”

“On that note you should head home now. I’m sure the last thing you need is for your parents to freak out over why you’re not back yet” she pointed out.

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I texted them saying I’d be here a few hours because Wyatt wanted to give me a tour of the den. But yeah…my time’s probably up” she agreed. “Be right back” and she went down the corridor.

A few minutes later she returned with her bag in hand, but a confused countenance on her face. Willa sported the same look when she saw her, whereas the rest of the wolves showed small endearing smiles. “Hey guys, I found this inside the side pocket of my bag” she said as she held up a wider wooden container. “Is this for me?”

“Yep” Wyatt smiled.

“We put a treat in there for you!” Wylie beamed.

“A treat? For me?” she asked.

“Yeah! Open it” Kraw eagerly urged.

She did as she was told and popped the top off. Inside was dried jerky, and there was quite a lot of it considering the container wasn’t all that big. “Whoa…this is all for me?” she asked.

“Yep! Since you can’t eat raw meat, we figured you’d like this. We always put some of our kill aside to dry up and store up for the winter” Wynter explained.

“Wait, what? This is from your winter stock? I can’t eat this, you guys need it” Addison refuted.

“Addison, it’s okay” Wyatt assured. “We want you to have it. Go ahead, try a piece.”

She looked at the container, then back at the pack who gave her encouraging nods. She took out a piece and put it in her mouth. A content “mmm” passed through her lips as she chewed the delectable morsel. It was super tender and surprisingly peppery with a hint of honey and other spices. If she wasn’t so full from the fruit she would’ve devoured all of it. “This is soo good! What do you use to season it? I can taste pepper and a little honey, but there’s definitely more” she described.

Row grinned and answered, “It’s my great grandpop’s recipe. Don’t worry, I’ll tell ya when you’re a pack member.”

“Nice! Speaking of being a member, can I know your names please?” she asked the rest of the wolves.

“Yeah, of course. Sorry, we should’ve introduced ourselves earlier” Willa realized.

“That’s okay. I wasn’t sure if I could learn them at first, until Wyatt said otherwise” she explained.

“Why’s that? I mean you know our names” the alpha pointed to herself, Wyatt and Wynter.

“Right, but that’s only because I caught you guys saying them to each other” she elaborated.

“That’s true” Willa agreed.

“Plus I thought it was a privilege that I earned after I passed the trials” she finished.

Willa smirked at her reasoning and said, “Well, let’s say it was. Are you feeling a little bold after you passed one?”

“Nope, just wanted to know my family if I could” she simply replied.

The alpha did a double take when she heard that before remembering her passionate speech from last night. She smiled and said, “Then get ready to have a lot of siblings. My name is Willa Lykensen, alpha of the Nanukilik pack.”

“Nanukilik?” Addison repeated.

“Yep, think of it like a human tribe name.”

“Gotcha.”

“Can you tell me what it means?” she asked.

“Huh? Umm…” Addison mulled the words in her head for a moment and answered, “Love is strength.”

“That’s right” she grinned.

“Cool” she remarked, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she heard that word before. Then it dawned on her, it sounded like one of the words Wyatt spoke in front of the emergency exit. Or it could have been. Either way she was beyond thrilled that she could learn something about the pack, and from Willa herself no less.

“And this is my **baby** brother, Wyatt” she introduced, though he grumbled at how much emphasis she put on “baby.” "Hey!" he growled. "What? It's true" she grinned at his expense. Addison covered her mouth with her hand to hide her giggles.

Wynter gave her a big squeeze and said, “Wynter Barkowitz! Pleased to officially meet ya!”

“L-Likewise” Addison gasped and she let her go. “ _Definitely has strength to spare_ ” she thought as she straightened up.

Next up was the fabulous farmer. “Row Muzzrile, at your service” he smiled.

After him was a solid, caramel-colored girl with brown hair done up in a pixie cut; she wore overalls with what appeared to be paint smears on them. “My name is Willow Growlight, and this is my cousin Rwylo” and a lanky boy shyly waved at her. He had a similar complexion and outfit, but his dark brown hair was long and curly like Willa’s.

“I’m Wen Jinclaw and this is my big bro Wei!” a younger male wolf enthusiastically spoke as he slung an arm around his brother’s neck. Both of them sported Mohawks with white tips and their facial features reminded her of seafaring Polynesians she saw in a documentary.

Rounding out the bunch were two more boys. “Willie Runthorpe’s the name. A pleasure” he politely bowed. He had a slight accent that Addison couldn’t quite place, the closest she could compare it to would be Australian mixed with someone from Brooklyn. But she could tell that he was just a rowdy as Wynter due to the tears in his clothes and the scars on his slightly tanned skin.

“Warren. Warren Ruffet” the last wolf quietly barked. If Bonzo had a twin he’d be it, minus being green, but she could tell he was a real sweetie.

“It’s an honor to meet all of you. My name is Addison **Elizabeth** Wells” and that made the teens' eyes widen just a bit, especially Row’s. _“Well I’ll be”_ he thought.

“But uh…it might take me some time to remember all these names” she admitted.

“Better get to it white hair, because you’ll be meeting a whole lot more” Willa replied.

"I can’t wait” she smiled. All of the pups ran up to her to give her one last hug. “Thanks again for the treat, I’ll see you guys later!”

“Hold it!” Willa barked.

“...Willa, I don’t need an escort. It’s still daylight, I’ll be fine” Addison groaned.

“Hmph. I wasn’t going to say that” she annoyingly huffed.

“Then what’s up?”

“It’s just that I’m pretty sure Seabrook hasn’t earned your trust yet” she stated.

“Huh?” Addison asked, thoroughly confused before Willa pointed to her still _shirtless_ upper body.

“SHOOT!” she blushed and ran back into the sleeping area. Her shirt was still on the ground. _“I can’t believe I forgot to put my shirt back on!”_ she thought as she hastily hooked her bra and pulled the shirt over her head. She walked back into the main area – a light blush still dusting her cheeks. “**ahem**…T-Thank you. That would’ve been bad.”

“By their backward standards, yes. But you already know we’re more than okay with it - that’s why you kept walking around without it. You’re comfortable here, as a home should be” Willa smiled.

Addison absorbed her words and smiled back. “You’re right.”

The alpha nodded and replied, “But Wynter’s going with you. Just because its daylight doesn’t mean animals aren’t out hunting. Case in point” and she pointed her thumb back her pack.

“…Alright” she agreed; she should’ve seen this coming.

“Don’t worry Addison, if anything even tries to look our way I’ll break’em in two” and she cracked her knuckles.

“I know you will” she replied.

“Hold up, one more thing” Willa spoke.

“What’s that?”

“Give me your necklace, you’ll get it back before your hunting trial starts” she ordered.

“Oh, okay. Sure” Addison complies. She unhooks it from around her neck and gives it to her. _“Wonder why they want to give it back to me though. It doesn’t do me any good other than being an awesome accessory”_ she thought. Oddly enough she feels a little…weird without it on, but she attributes it to suddenly having her neck be bare after having it on all this time.

“Alright, that’s it. You two be safe out there okay?”

“We will! Let’s roll!” and Wynter grabs her by the hand and pulls her out of the entrance. The rest of the pack follows up behind them until they're outside, waving and saying their goodbyes. Soon they were out of sight.

Eventually they head back inside the den; Willa was halfway through the entrance tunnel until she noticed that Wyatt wasn’t next to her. She went back outside and saw that he was still staring in the direction Addison and Wynter traveled. All of a sudden his whole body slumped and he let out the longest, saddest whine that even made her heart hurt. She walked over to him and asked, “Pebble for your thoughts?” startling him out of his stupor.

“Huh? Oh…I-It’s noth-"

"Don't even try it" she cut off his dismissal. "C'mon, tell me what's wrong" she gently beseeched.

"**sigh** I-It's Addison” he confessed.

“What about her? You know Wynter will keep her safe” she assured.

“It’s not that. It’s…well…she’s the one” he explained.

Willa raised an eyebrow at that, then looked down at his pelvic area. Wyatt followed her line of sight and the implication immediately clicked in his head. “W-Willa!!” he yelled as a crimson blush coated his cheeks.

“What? I had to make sure it wasn’t just a physical attraction” she defended, making him put his face in his hands and groan. “So you want Addison to be your mate” she stated and he slowly nodded his head. “And what makes you so sure she’s the one?”

“I…I felt what dad told me I would feel when I would find my mate. I’ve never felt that way with anyone, and you know how kind our female pack mates are” he answered and that made her actually pause for a moment. She reaches her hand into her vest pocket, feeling the smooth surface of the great alpha’s, of Addison’s, moonstone.

“…I see” she simply said.

“God...I’m a wreck. I mean look at me! I know she’ll be back but I’m acting like I’ll never see her again.”

“No kidding. I thought somebody died the way you’re acting. But…would you want to get rid of that feeling?” she asked.

“No, of course not! I mean the unnecessary longing yeah, but not everything else. Even before everything that happened these past two days…whenever we were in the same vicinity during our search for the moonstone it felt…right. I thought it was just because I was excited about finding the great alpha…but now I realize its more than that” he smiled but it quickly disappeared. “And that’s another thing! I definitely don’t want to mess up Addison’s relationship with Zed. I respect him too much for what he’s done for us. But I can’t help feeling this way, even if I am technically too young.”

“C’mere Wyatt” and she brought him in for a hug. “Brother, nothing is set in stone. Being boyfriend and girlfriend is just the human way of seeing how compatible you are with each other. It’s still early. Until you see a claim ring on her finger, you still have a chance. But…don’t you think it’ll be a moot point either way? She’s not a werewolf. At least a zombie used to be human” she pointed out.

“I know…but my whole being is set on her. I couldn’t change it if I wanted to” he replied.

“And I know you don’t. **sigh** Well…if you truly love her, her happiness comes first” Willa advised. He sighed but nodded at her advice. She let him go but still kept her hands on his shoulders. “For now just enjoy getting to know her and whatever else that comes along. You know I am” she grinned.

“I know you are” he fondly smiled. “Watch out though, she’s gonna really get you one day.”

“Yeah right, I’m the alpha. I won’t be so easy to take down” she scoffed as she crossed her arms.

“Really? Need I remind you of that powerful left hook she has?” he grinned.

“And I’m making up for that” she growled.

“Oooh, so is that the only reason you keep pouncing on her?” he asked as he cheekily raised an eyebrow.

“What are you trying to imply dear brother?” she leered.

“Oh nothing” he simply replied.

“Good” she huffed.

Wyatt merely shook his head and gave her a lick on her forehead.

“Thanks big sis.” “Anytime baby bro.” and they embraced one again. No matter what comes up on this trail, there was no denying that Addison left her mark on them and everyone else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! Addison passed her first trial! And we get a little background into werewolf life back in the day. How will she fare in the hunting trial. More importantly...how will her parents react to all this? Stay tuned to find out! Thank you for the kudos and comments, it means a lot! Still getting used to this site, thank you for your patience. I don't own Zombies, just my original characters.


	8. Chapter 8

_“Annnd there were go”_ as the last battery slid into place. Scattered all around Addison’s room were the toys and other devices the werewolves gave to her; each one adding their own unique sound to the childlike orchestra.

After Wynter escorted her to Seabrook’s outskirts, she made a quick trip to the store and bought a ton of batteries – earning some very curious stares from the cashier. “That there is a whole heap of batteries miss. What’chu gonna do with’em if you don’t mind me askin’?” the stocky clerk asked.

“Just fixing up some toys for my friend and his younger siblings” she smiled.

“Well alrighty then! Total is $57.77” he announced.

 _“That’s it?”_ she thought as she glanced at the paper bag – filled to the brim with of every kind of battery imaginable. _“Works for me”_ she internally grinned and handed him the money Wyatt gave her.

“Here’s your change. Have a good afternoon now!” the clerk smiled and she walked home with a giddy bounce in her step.

“Okay…let’s give this a whirl” and she set Wyatt’s favorite toy on the floor. She pressed the button on top and it immediately lit up with every color of the rainbow – spinning around good as new. Addison's eyes sparkled and a captivated smile appeared on her lips as she watched the mini version of Santa’s workshop waltz across the floor. “Awesome! They all work!” she excitedly declared, but quickly relocated some of them before they crashed into each another. _“This is great, and there’s plenty of batteries to spare! I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces_ ” she fondly thought. She watched the little toys roam around for a few more minutes before turning them off.

She grabbed a large, golden duffle bag out of her closet… and there was a reason why it was tucked deeply away. It was dubbed the captain’s bag by her cousin, and it definitely had his aesthetic taste to it. There was a cartoon version of his face sporting his trademarked smile on each side. “ _If only my bag was just a little bit bigger…oh well, at least I’ll be putting it to good use”_ she thought as she delicately placed the toys and batteries inside. “Heh, I feel just like Santa Claus. Or Santa Claws” she chuckled at her own pun. “Then again, I wouldn’t be too far off. I have the white hair, I just need some red clothes.”

She set the gaudy bag down by her door so she wouldn’t forget it when she saw them again. Then she flopped onto her bed – grimacing just a tad from the love pounces her body endured. “ _Sheesh…not even a hot shower could get rid of the soreness. I should’ve gotten some tiger balm while I was at the store. Oh well, what’s a little pounce between friends? I still wouldn’t trade this feeling for the world! I can’t believe I passed a trial!_ ” she squealed at her success, but her exuberant chuckles came to a halt as her mind got down to brass tacks.

“ _So next up is the hunting trial. Let’s see…”_ and she started recalling everything Wyatt taught her with precise clarity. Even Wynter chipped in some sound advice during their trek. While they were walking along the trail, her wolf-guard spotted a flock of mountain quail and went after them. Those little birds sure could move – they took off like little Ferraris! But Wynter didn’t give up, even when they started flying away. She leaped high into the air and swatted a couple of them down with her claws – almost as if she were spiking a volleyball. She didn’t even need to sink her fangs into them – just the force of the hit alone killed them. She walked back over with a proud pep in her step while holding her three snacks in hand. Once again Addison wasn’t bothered by it; if anything she was itching and rarin’ to go too!

“Wynter that was amazing! You just knocked’em out of the air like BAM!” she enthusiastically praised.

“Heh, thanks” she grinned as a blush creeped onto her cheeks.

“But I gotta admit, I thought they gave you the slip when they got airborne” she expressed.

“Yeah, it happens sometimes. But even if your prey gets spooked and tries to get away, you can’t give up. You **have** to be relentless – that’s the difference between having a full belly or an empty one” she sagely spoke.

 _“One of life’s unconventional lessons. Speaking of, I wonder what kind of “lessons” my parents will try to teach me when I tell them all this”_ she sighed.

She texted them as soon as she got home, just like she promised, but all she got in return was <Ok>. That alone concerned her; she was fully expecting a dissertation demanding to know why it took her so long to get home and never being allowed to go back to the den. “ _They were probably just too busy_ … _like always_ ” she thought before a familiar **PING PING PANG** redirected her attention to her phone. _“…Or not. This must be it”_ she groaned and put in her code to unlock the screen.

<Hey honey! We’ll be finishing up work early today, would you like to go out to eat tonight?> her mom wrote.

“…What?” she disbelievingly uttered. She **definitely** wasn’t expecting that.

“ _Since when do they get off work early? And when was the last time we all went out to eat at a restaurant? Hold on…when was the last time we **even** ate dinner together?!”_ she pondered as she re-read the text to **really** make sure her literary skills didn’t diminish. “ _Who are these people and where are my parents?”_ she half-jokingly considered, but was still befuddled by this…unusual familial action.

“ _Maybe they’re trying to butter me up before bringing the hammer down._ ” She didn’t want to have these kind of pessimistic thoughts, but they were pretty hard to ignore - **especially** given what her parents were like. “ _Even if they do, it won’t change anything. If it comes down to it, I can go back to the den. Back to the Nanukilik pack_ ” and a small smile formed when she thought of them. “ _At least I can get a great meal out of it. Hopefully they won’t do or say anything to make me lose my appetite_ ” she prayed and texted back, <Sure, that’d be great> with a little thumbs up emoji.

<Nice, we’ll pick you up at 6> her mom replied. Addison glanced over at the clock on the wall; it was ten to three.

 _“Hmm… what am I going to do until then? I’m too wired to take a nap, I’ve watched **plenty** of TV during my lock-down and Candy Crush can only keep me entertained for so long. **sigh** I wonder what Bree’s up to.”_ Suddenly another familiar **PING PING** comes out of her phone. She looks at the screen and sees a text from said best friend.

<Hey Addy! U still stuck in the house?> she read.

<No, I’m free.>

<Awesome! Bonzo, Zed, Eliza and I are going to Serenity Park. U wanna come?>

Addison looks around the room for a second, expecting to see a genie or an angel. There was no way that two thoughts could instantly become reality. It was just waaay to coincidental. _“Well I’m not gonna complain”_ she smiled nonetheless and wrote back, <Yeah! Be there in 10min.>

<Cool! See u at the grass field> and she ended it with a smiley face emoji.

“Alright!” Addison grinned as she sprung out of bed and put her shoes on. She grabbed her little light-blue backpack and put her phone, wallet and house key inside. Then she dashed into the kitchen to get her water bottle. As soon as she filled it up she bolted out the door – running like those tiny mountain quails towards their meeting spot.

Soon she arrived at the manicured wilderness. She inhaled the scent of lilac from the nearby bushes; it mixed tantalizingly well with the aroma of the tall pine trees. “I wonder who created this place anyway?” she thought as she weaved her way through the foliage. This off the radar park was her sanctuary whenever things got to be…too much at her own home; the tranquility helped quell any awful thought tsunamis she had going on in her mind at the time. She hoped it would continue to be this way, even with all the damage dealt to Seabrook Civic Center due to the earthquake.

Eventually she reached the grass field where she was supposed to meet her best friends, but no one was here yet. _“I’m the first one? Huh…that’s weird. Then again Bree did say that they were going to the park, not “we’re already there”_ she thought. As far as she knew this was the only grass field – though field would be an understatement; it was the double the size of her front yard. Still, it was quaint in its own way. She took out her phone and texted, <Hey Bree, I’m here>. _“I’d better set my alarm too so I don’t lose track of time”_ and opened her clock app and set the alarm so she’d be back before her parents. But while she was fiddling with her phone a hand hastily grabbed her shoulder, completely startling her!

“AHH!”

“OWHH!”

 _“Oh what now!?”_ but her agitation instantly vanished when she recognized the tall, green figure sprawled out on Earth’s natural carpet. “Z-Zed!?” She immediately put her phone away and knelt by his side. “Are you okay?!” she fretted while helping him sit up.

“Owoooh**crack**alww” he garbled out as he moved his jaw. “H-Hey…Addison” he managed to say through the stinging pain.

“**sigh** Didn’t tell you not to rush up to her when you saw her? Sheesh…acting just like a puppy” a familiar voice chided. Addison looked up to see the rest of her pleasant posse walking onto the field with blankets in hand.

“You can’t you blame him for wanting to see her Eliza. It’s been almost a week” Bree defended.

The zombie girl smirked and replied, “Yeah yeah, I know. Hopefully third’s time the charm in teaching you not to sneak up on her – especially since it seems like her punch has gotten stronger.”

“Guruza” Bonzo chuckled, making Zed sheepishly scratch the back of his head.

“…R-Right. Sorry for scaring you Addison” he apologized.

“I’m the one who should be saying sorry, I just laid you out!” she refuted.

“You sure did” Eliza giggled.

“I’m fine, I promise. But…a kiss miiight make it better” he slyly suggested. Addison showed a relieved smile and replied, “Of course” and kissed him right on the cheek. Bonzo and Bree smiled at the saccharine display while Eliza playfully rolled her eyes.

She helped him stand up and everyone else got their hugs in. She managed not to let it show how painful they were on her sore body – especially Bonzo’s. “ _I wonder if this what they meant when they say “love hurts””_ she thought as the friendly giant finally put her down, though he seemed a bit puzzled.

“Addiska.”

“Hm?”

“Locro nejikl wolfilik?” he asked while pointing to her neck.

Before anyone could translate what he asked she simply replied, “Retujo nejikl Wilka.”

That completely stunned everyone, even herself. They did double and even triple takes as they stared at her. “…Uhh…guys? What’s wrong?” she finally asked as the silence was starting to get a little too awkward for her.

“Y-You” Zed stuttered.

“What!?”

“I mean not you you, you’re not wrong! Of course you’re not wrong, you’re never wrong” he hurriedly corrected.

“What Zed is trying to say is that we’re just very…surprised. And impressed!” Eliza clarified.

“Yeah, that’s it! You can speak zombie now?!” he asked.

Addison tilted her hand side-to-side and replied, “Hagn o ra. Chegra atk.”

“Sounds like you have it down to me” Eliza grinned.

“Addiska Prufta!” Bonzo added.

“Yeah Addison, that’s amazing! I can understand a lot of zombese, thanks to my exceptional tutor” and that made her boyfriend blush, “but speaking it is totally different. How’d you do it?”

“Being under house arrest has its perks I guess” she replied. “I borrowed the zombese textbook from school because I didn’t want to keep asking you guys for peanut butter” and they laughed at the memory. “Anyway, I’ve been studying it all this time. Hopefully they won’t charge me any late fees.”

“I doubt it. It’s not like the book itself is in high demand” Eliza muttered.

“Not yet” Addison countered, putting a smile on her face.

“Plus the school is under repair” she pointed out.

“And it’d be pretty messed up if they did” Zed added.

“No kidding” she agreed.

“But that’s amazing Addy! You were able to teach yourself a whole other language” Bree applauded.

Addison bashfully blushed and replied, “Like I said, more or less. But some of the words in there don’t make much sense.” Though in the back of her mind she was just as confused as to why she could suddenly speak perfect zombese. Sure she studied the textbook, but it all still seemed Greek to her…until now. _“This is just like the werewolf words! What the heck?! Am I part zombie now too!? Then again my grandfather had half his ear bitten off by a zombie. Maybe some of their genes were transferred into him and remained dormant as they passed down my family line. Well why not? I mean what’s one more anomaly for someone like me?!”_ she mentally exasperated.

But her rampant thoughts skidded to a stop as she snapped back to the present when Eliza asserted, “I’m not surprised. I doubt the authors even asked a zombie for educational input. But that’s going to change!”

Her zeal for societal improvement put a smile on Addison's face. “If you’re leading the charge, I know it will” she complimented, making Eliza shyly shuffle a bit in place, but happy all the same.

“Addison” Zed tenderly spoke before giving her the warmest embrace possible. “Gar gar zinga” he whispered into her ear.

“Gar gar zinga ko” she affectionately whispered back and returned the hug. “ _Well…no matter how it happened, I’m glad it did”_ she joyously thought.

Once they separated Eliza asked, “Sorry to switch reels, but what do you mean you gave your necklace back to Willa? When did you see her?”

“Yeah Addy, we need some details stat” Bree added.

They walk over the center of the field and laid the blankets out. Once they were all sitting down they gave her their full attention. She chuckled and began, “Heh, alright. So my parents finally let me get out of the house yesterday, and I went into the forbidden forest to check on the pack. I was worried about them since that earthquake damaged the town even more. They’re all good, but I was intrigued by all the paintings on the den walls. When I asked them what they were about, they told me they were werewolf secrets. Willa said I could only learn them if I was a werewolf, became a werewolf, or completed the alpha trials.”

“What’re the alpha trials?” Zed asked.

“They’re three challenges established by the pack’s ancestors. If you pass those, then you become a member for life. And I just passed one of them!” she beamed.

“Way to go Addison!” Bree squealed and gave her a big hug.

“Uh…Addiska? Ifn mebeji wolfilik” Bonzo pointed out.

“Yeah, I thought you were already part of the pack. That **is** why Willa gave you the necklace in the first place, right?”

“Right, but-”

“And are we part of the pack too?” Zed interrupted.

“Zed! Let her finish” Bree scolded.

“O-Oops…I’m sorry” he apologized.

“It’s alright, but I can’t answer that. I know we’re all friends with them for sure, but pack status is something totally different. When Willa gave me the necklace it only granted me honorary status. I could see them and be in their territory, but that’s it. But I wanted more than that. I wanted to learn how to be an actual wolf, even though I’m not one. I wanted to know what they liked and disliked, what’s true and untrue so I didn’t offend anyone, and learn their language. I wanted to know about them, just like I’m learning about you guys” she finished, stunning everyone once again.

“ _Just when I thought I couldn’t be more in love with her_ ” Zed admiringly thought.

“Well look at you, being a little anthropologist” Eliza grinned.

“An anthro-what?” Zed tried to repeat.

“Anthropologist. Someone who studies human societies, cultures and their development” she explained.

“But she’s not studying human cultures or societies” he pointed out.

“True…hmmm…then she’s an Adisopologist” she amended.

“A what?? Now you’re just making stuff up.”

“People make up stuff all the time Zed – at least this one is a proper description of what Addison is. Someone who’s respectable and relatable to everyone they meet, and I think she fits the bill. I mean she brought this whole community together and rallied them to help the werewolves. All by being an expert in Adisopolgy” she finished.

“Totally” Bree agreed.

“Lunvinbi” Bonzo added.

Addison blushed from the compliments and said, “Thank you, Zarga ye. But I think it’s more than that. So long as we show a little compassion to one another, then we’re all practicing Adisopology. In fact, all you have master’s degrees” and they all respectfully smiled at that.

“By the way, which trial did you pass?” Bree asked.

“The trial of respect; the alpha observes how the new wolf interacts with the pack to see if they’re compatible. Willa said it’s the hardest one because incoming wolves would appease the alpha, but assert their dominance over the rest of wolves to the point of bullying them” she explained.

“Well if that doesn’t sound like a certain **person** and **posse** we know” she huffed.

“Bujiki ja acrik” Bonzo spat.

“Though it doesn’t surprise me at all that you passed that one. Like I said, Adisopolgy at work” Eliza grinned.

“Yep! That’s my cheer captain!” Bree exalted, making Addison chuckle.

“Um…so what’re the other two trials?” Zed asked.

“Darbka and Refroga” she replied.

“WHAT!?” he yelled.

“Jeez Zed, are you trying to make us deaf?!” Eliza irritably asked as everyone uncovered their ears. “You heard what she said!”

“I did, but what do you mean combat!?” he hysterically asked.

“What else would combat mean? She’s going to fight someone” she spelled out.

“When!?” he sharply addressed Addison.

“I-I don’t know. I’ll be doing my hunting trial the day after tomorrow right at sunrise. Willa said she’d give me back the necklace then” she replied.

“Wow, that’s early” Eliza commented.

“Skrujika Bujiki cok limnra pracvka” Bonzo countered.

“No kidding. I know we had a limited time at cheer camp, but did we really need to wake up an hour before dawn?” Bree added.

“At least it turned out to be good training for my trial…though I would’ve been fine without his singing as an alarm clock” and all of the cheerleaders cringed at the memory.

“But what are you going to even hunt?” Zed asked.

“I’m not sure, but at least I won’t be limited” Addison replied.

“What do you mean?” Bree questioned.

“Wolves aren’t picky eaters; they’ll eat anything from fruits to fish to even lizards” she explained.

“LIZARDS?!” they shouted, completely aghast.

“Trust me, I said the exact same thing. But no matter what happens I’m going to do my best” she affirmed.

“That’s right!” “Addiska bruga!” Bree and Bonzo cheered.

“I doubt I’ll go after a lizard though, unless I spend all day tomorrow studying which ones around here are poisonous. I’ll probably end up borrowing one of their fishing spears” she commented.

Zed couldn’t help but conjure up a hot mental image of Addison wielding a spear like an Amazon warrior. Unfortunately his fantasy made a huge grin appear, drawing all the attention towards him. “Thibkio Zedski?” Bonzo questioned.

“Nothing! Nothing at all! Yep, all good here” and he looked away from their curious gazes so Addison couldn’t see his blushing cheeks.

“Ookay” Eliza smirked; she had a pretty good idea of what was going on in his head, but decided to spare him the embarrassment. “Anyway, there’s one thing I don’t understand. Why is Willa giving you the necklace back?”

“Y’know, I was wondering about that too since it doesn’t do me any good. Maybe it’s a ceremonial thing” Addison ventured.

“Sooo…since you’re taking the trials, does that revoke your honorary status?” she followed up.

“Yeah. Willa told me that werewolves are all or nothing” she replied.

“Whoa…that’s bold, but so you” she complimented as she recalled when she revealed her white hair on the football field. Addison sheepishly scratched the back of her head and grinned at her appraisal.

“Addison” Zed spoke, redirecting her attention onto him. He grabbed her hand and let out a long exhale. “I-I know you’ve already completed your first trial, and you get so determined whenever you set your mind on something…but I don’t want you to get hurt. We saw how strong they are, and that was with **limited** power” he expressed.

Addison released a short exhale of her own and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “Zed…thanks for worrying about me, but I knew what I was getting myself into. I wouldn’t have agreed to it if I didn’t think I could handle it. Not exactly my style” she convincingly replied.

“Yeah Zed, have some faith in your girlfriend. Besides, you know firsthand how strong her right hook is” and the rest of the crew chuckled at that – eventually so did he. “Heh…you’re right. Just…promise me you’ll be careful, okay?”

“I will” she assured and brought him in for another hug. But she suddenly pushed him off so she could look straight into his eyes. “ZED!!”

“Wha-what?” 

“I just had the best, and possibly craziest idea! Can you be my sparring partner?” Zed didn’t even have a chance to formulate an answer before she kept on talking. “You can even work on controlling yourself without your z-band on and I’ll wear football pads for protection. In fact, all of you can spar with me! By going up against different techniques I’ll be ready for the combat trial for sure, no matter who I’m matched up against” she excitedly proposed.

Just as he was about to speak a syllable Eliza chimed in, “That’s an excellent idea! I can monitor our progress and show that zombies have evolved beyond the need for z-bands!”

“Kinjo!” Bonzo happily volunteered.

“Whatever you need, I’m here for you Addy!” Bree readily agreed. “We can even do it on the football practice field, there’s plenty of space there!” she added and Addison nodded at her suggestion.

Zed felt the passion and excitement within the group and knew he didn’t have the heart to kill the mood with his understandable reservations. He let out a resigning sigh and said, “…I’ll do it. But the second training gets out of hand you put my z-band back on, deal?”

“Deal! Oh thank you Zed! Thank you!” Addison lauded and kissed him repeatedly on the cheek – he sported the happiest and dopiest grin when she was through. "Thank you guys so much!" she gratefully expressed and gave the rest of them hugs.

"You got it Addy" Bree smiled.

“Just make sure you go easy on him” Eliza smirked.

“I will make no such promises. This is training mode now” she seriously stated, making Zed nervously gulp. That is until her stone-faced façade shifted into a sly smile, making him feel a little bit better about the upcoming combat drills.

“So, what have all of you been up to?” she eagerly asked.

Their engaging conversations ranged from Eliza new rally speeches, Bonzo’s quirky yet highly functional inventions, Bree’s surprise interest in trying out for softball, and Zed talking about spring football practice for new players and his dad’s hectic new work schedule.

“He’s not going to be working too hard is he Zed?” Addison fretted.

“Naw, he has plenty of help and he’s getting paid handsomely” he emphasized by rubbing his thumb and fingers together. “He was even talking about taking us on a family vacation once they’re done repairing all the damage. He said the school should be done in the next month or two” and everyone groaned at that.

“Hopefully it’ll be on the later end. Being off has given me plenty of time to arrange protests” Eliza replied.

“And doing it in style as always” Addison praised and they did their little finger wave.

“Speaking of repairs, do you think they’re still going to build a new cheer pavilion where Seabrook Power used to be?” Bree asked.

“I don’t know. My mom is supposed to have a meeting about the reconstruction sometime this week. Maybe they’ll do something new; with everything that’s happened a cheer pavilion seems kinda...pointless. And that’s saying something coming from me” Addison commented.

“Not really. You don’t eat, sleep and breathe cheer like your cousin. For you it’s a hobby – one that you’ve used to help others rather than boost your own ego” she replied, making Addison adorably blush.

“Well, hopefully they’ll be open to suggestions. I have some ideas in mind” Eliza voiced.

“I know you do” Addison smiled. All of a sudden her alarm chime goes off. “…Darn it. Why couldn’t time move as slow as a snail this time around?” she grumbled as she took out her phone and turned off the clock app.

“What’s wrong Addy?” Bree asked.

“It’s nothing. My parents are about to get off work and they want to take me out to dinner” she replied.

Knowing her family’s…situation, she tried to infuse some positivity into her outing. “I’m sure it’ll be nice” she ventured, but Addison just absentmindedly hummed at that.

“Um…do they know about the trials?” Zed cautiously asked.

“Not yet. I’ll tell them tonight after dinner” she replied as she stood up; her friends followed suit.

“No Addiska rhduk” Bonzo assured.

“No worijbi. No snukjrla minpro” she resolutely stated.

“Still, text us how it goes okay? And if you need to spend the night-” but Addison cut her off by putting a hand on her shoulder.

“Thank you Bree, I appreciate that” she smiled. Bree brings her in for a hug and the rest join the squish circle. This time she can’t even feel the pain. “I’d better get going. I’ll see you guys later” and takes off.

“…Do you think she’ll be alright?” Zed asks.

“Honestly…I’m worried about her parents. If they set her off, they'll regret it for sure” Eliza replied.

* * *

Addison made it back with twenty minutes to spare, giving her plenty of time to freshen up and change into something more semi-formal. “ _Okay Addison…it’s just dinner, nothing to freak out about. If I go in with a sour attitude then the whole evening will be sour. Just enjoy yourself_ ” she internally hyped herself up as she finished fixing her hair. “ _Looking good_ ” she smiled – admiring the “tame” werewolf look she was going for. She put all of the items from her mini backpack into her mini purse and left her room.

Just as she was walking down the stairs she hears the doorknob jiggling. A moment later Missy walks in rolling her shoulders, and Dale comes up right behind her loosening his tie.

“Hi mom, hey dad” Addison greets, startling them for a sec; they didn’t see her on the stairs.

“Hi honey, you look lovely” Missy…smiled? Normally her mom would either hum in response or give a small wave of acknowledgement before diving right back into work. And that’s **if** she saw her. Not to mention her compliment was…sincere; they didn’t squabble over colors or style for once.

“Thank you” she automatically replied, but as she approached them she noticed how exhausted they really were. “Um…are you guys okay? You look like you're about to collapse.”

“Just a little tired, but nothing a good meal at Vuey’s won’t fix” Dale replied.

“Vuey’s?! We’re going to Vuey’s!?” She couldn’t conceal her excitement even if she tried.

“Is that alright?” her father knowingly grinned.

“Yeah!” she gleefully squealed, until she realized how uncouth her response was – Missy was a stickler for proper etiquette. But instead of being reprimanded for her lack of manners, her parents lightly chuckled as well. And it wasn’t condescending at all. It was…endearing; like they were **_actually_** happy that she was happy.

“I’m glad” her mother replied. “Just give us a few minutes to freshen up and we’ll be on our way” and they walked upstairs to their room, leaving Addison completely dumbfounded. _“…I swear I’m in an episode of the Twilight Zone. Did that earthquake unearth some **alien** doppelgangers?”_ she thought. It was a lot easier to accept that preposterous idea than believing her parents actually…changed. “ _And if they did decide to change, why now? I know better late than never, but still. Well…I'm just enjoy myself. Especially since we’re going to Vuey’s!_ ” she grinned.

Her parents come back down a few minutes later - looking refreshed and quite stylish in their matching blue business-casual attire. “You guys look great” she complimented.

“Thank you” Missy kindly replied. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah!” she readily replied. Soon they were in their pink Fiat and on their way. Normally the drive to Vuey’s took about forty minutes, but they were hitting all the green lights and arrived in half the time. Addison couldn’t help but smile as she got out of the car – the restaurant was just as amazing as she remembered. It was a rustic wooden and brick building, painted in eccentric hues of lavender and blues with huge windows overlooking the surprisingly peaceful boardwalk. The ocean waves rippled under the twilit sky, adding to the amazing ambience. Thankfully it wasn’t all that busy since it was a weekday, and by the looks of things they just missed the dinner rush; if it were the weekend they’d be waiting a half hour just to get into the parking lot.

Dale held the door open and the ladies walked inside. Behind the tastefully drawn-on hostess stand was a young zombie lad wearing the sky blue crawfish logo uniform t-shirt, black slacks and matching non-slip shoes. And it just so happened that Addison recognized him.

“Frenzch!”

“Hey Addy, good to see you! Mayor and Mr. Wells, thank you for joining us at Vuey’s this evening” and he respectfully inclined his head.

“The pleasure is ours. Addison, would you mind introducing us to your friend?” Missy asked.

“Uh, s-sure. This is Frenzch Zakzon and we have algebra and biology together. I didn’t know you worked here.”

“Uh huh, started a month ago and it’s been great! It’s so chill here and my little gator bank just keeps on getting fuller and fuller” he grinned.

“Nice! I know you were talking about getting that new game system” she recalled.

“Already ordered it, and come next week I’m taking my little gator to snap it right up” he cheerfully revealed, making her chuckle. “Now, where would your family like to sit tonight?”

Addison looked at her parents, but they gestured to her to make the decision. She peeked in the dining room; it was half full, nothing too boisterous. But the thought of being cooped up inside felt…odd, especially after being outdoors almost all day. “The upper patio please” she answered.

“You got it” and he grabbed three menus. “Follow me if you please.” They walked up the stairs to the balcony – marvelously lit by industrial pendant lights. “ _They almost look like hanging moonstones_ ” Addison thought as they sat down. They were the only ones out here – it felt like a private VIP experience. “Here are your menus, and your server will be right over.”

“Thank you Frenzch” Addison kindly replied.

“No problem Addy, I’ll see you around. Enjoy your meal” he politely inclined his head again and headed back to the hostess stand.

“He’s certainly a sweet young man” and Addison awaited the snippy “for a zombie” ending to her mother’s comment, but she astonishingly didn’t say it.

“…Uh-huh” she agreed with a suspiciously raised eyebrow.

Before they could even glance at their menus, their server appeared with three cups of ice cold water with lemon wedges on the rims. She had the same complexion as Addison but was pretty tall; she’d had no issue playing basketball. She had a few freckles on her cheeks and her long, brown hair was plaited into a singular braid. “Hey there everyone, how’re you doing this fine night?” the server amiably inquired.

“Very well thank you. How about you?” Missy asked back.

“Amazing, thanks for asking! My name is Olivia and I’ll be your server. Can I get you started on any drinks or appetizers?” she politely asked.

“Water is fine for me, thank you” Missy replied.

“I’ll have lemonade please” Addison answered.

“And I’ll have an Arnie Palmy please” Dale ordered. 

“Arnie and a lemonade” she jotted down on her note pad.

“And we’ll need just a few more minutes to look” Missy requested.

“Of course, take your time. I’ll be right back with your drinks” and she takes off. Not a moment later a busser comes by and set down a plate full of piping-hot cornbread. “Enjoy!” he encourages and left little saucers with the same crawfish logo painted on them.

“Oh we will” Addison assures and he leaves them to it. She wasted no time in grabbing a saucer and couple of pieces. “Hmmm!” she contentedly hummed and her parents followed suit.

“Just as tasty as you remember?” Dale asked.

“Even better!” she cheerfully attests.

“I agree. It’s been far too long since we’ve been here. We’ll have to make it a regular outing, at least once every two months” Missy expressed.

“I’m okay with that” Addison smiled.

A little while later Olivia returns with their drinks. “Did you folks need a little more time?” she asks.

“Nope, I think we’re ready” Dale responded and the ladies nodded in agreement.

“Cool! What can I get for you?”

“I’ll have your muffuletta chef salad with balsamic vinaigrette on the side” Missy ordered.

“I’ll take your crab cake sandwich, light on the mayo please” Dale requested.

“And for you ma’am?”

“Crawfish etoufee please” Addison grinned.

“Personal favorite?” Olivia smiled and she hummed affirmatively. “Would you like to make it a combo and add shrimp as well or just the crawfish?”

She looked over at her parents for their decision. “Whatever you want honey” Missy assured.

“I’ll take the combo please” she requested.

“You got it. Alright, got a muffie with balsamic, light mayo crab and the combo” she read back.

“Yes ma’am” her father confirmed.

“Sweet! I’ll see you folks soon” and she left to give the order to the chefs.

Addison grabbed her delicious lemonade, savoring each sip as she watched the sky transition from sherbet to inky black; the tiny sliver of a crescent moon hung high in the sky.

“So Addison” her dad starts.

“Hm?”

“How was sleeping in the werewolf den last night?”

 _“Oh great…here we go”_ she thought and sat her drink down. “Amazing actually” she replied, keeping her stare on them level and unflinching.

“Really?” Missy asked. She wasn’t surprised that there was a hint of skepticism in her tone.

“Yes. I was quite warm and cozy; my **friends** made sure I was safe. The alpha always made it a point that I had an escort while I was in **their** territory – that’s how wolves are” she emphasized. She wasn’t even going to give their minds a chance to believe that the only reason they kept her safe was because she was their daughter and there’d be consequences otherwise. And they remarkably understood.

“So we see” Dale replied as he looked over his daughter – not a single scratch nor hair out of place. “I am curious though, what is their den like? You said they gave you a tour today, correct?”

Addison debated for a minute whether or not she could share that information. _“I should’ve asked Willa about this. Hmmm…so long as I stick to just the structure it should be fine”_ she decided and told them all about their extraordinary construction expertise. Needless to say they were absolutely stunned.

“They were able to build all of that inside a mountain?!” Missy exclaimed.

“Yes, and please keep this between us. The pack is understandably secretive about aspects of their lives” she explained.

“No offense, but I don’t think anyone would believe us even if we told them. I can hardly believe it myself” her mom confessed.

“Heh, trust me the feeling was mutual until Wyatt showed me around” she replied while cracking a small grin, her earlier tension disappearing. Just in time too because Olivia and two other servers appeared with their sizzling-hot dinners and another platter of cornbread.

“Thank you! It’s look delicious” Addison praised.

“You’re most welcome! Would you like drinks refilled?” she asked when she noticed their half-empty glasses.

“Yes please” Missy replied and they handed their cups off to her efficient assistants.

“We’ll be right back. Enjoy your dinner” she said and took off.

Addison bowed her head and said, “Thank you for this nourishing food that we are about to receive.” Her parents looked at each other and followed her example – giving their own thanks before digging in.

“OHMYGOD this is so good!” Addison blissfully described as she savored each spoonful; it was even better with crumbled cornbread bits on top. The sweetness from that combined with the savory roux was like her taste buds went to heaven – and it would be the third time today! Even though it was a combo it seemed like they doubled the amount they would typically give out, and she was more than okay with that.

“I glad you’re enjoying it, but please slow down. I don’t want you to choke” her mother warned.

Luckily she didn’t have worry about that as Olivia returned with their refills. “I guess I don’t need to ask how it was, half-eaten plates are always a good sign” she smiled.

“Indeed, please give the chefs and staff our highest regards” Missy warmly replied.

“I will, thank you very much!” Addison noticed that her stride was a lot more…relaxed as she left their table. “ _She must’ve been so nervous about serving my family. Everyone for that matter. It’s not every day you get to see the mayor and the head of the patrol, other than at town hall meetings. But they were phenomenal! Hmmm…if they could conquer their anxieties about facing them, then maybe I can too”_ she thought.

The rest of dinner was spent peacefully enjoying each other’s company; Addison even chimed in when it came to work matters and they didn’t dismiss her input. Everyone sat back in their chairs fully satisfied with empty plates in front of them.

“Looks like we’re all going to be in food comas when we get home” her dad commented. The rest of the family hummed in agreement; Addison covered her mouth as a little content burp escaped her lips.

Olivia came back with the check and as well as a large brown paper bag. “What’s this?” Missy asked when she set it on the table. “Three fresh slices of peach cobbler. They're on the house; the chefs wanted to thank you for the kind words” she explained.

“How sweet!” and her husband and daughter chuckled at the unintentional pun; Missy rolled her eyes at their antics. “Thank you very much for a wonderful evening Olivia, we greatly appreciate it” and she put her credit card in the check presenter. “My pleasure ma’am” she smiled and took the card to ring it up.

“Thank you mom and dad. This was fantastic” she gratefully expressed.

“Your welcome honey, I’m happy you enjoyed yourself” Missy smiled back. Addison happily hummed at that while patting her full belly.

Olivia came back with the credit card and said, “I hope we’ll get to see all of you again soon.”

“You can count on it!” Addison replied.

“Then we’ll make sure to have a fresh pot of etoufee waiting for you” she kindly winked and bid them all a goodnight.

“How much was it?” Dale asked.

“Don’t worry about it” Missy replied and he acquiesced. She left a generous tip and they left the restaurant.

The drive back was quick yet surprisingly quiet. Missy and Dale didn’t miss how distant Addison had suddenly become. She hardly looked like she was succumbing to a food coma; it was as though she had the weight of the world on her mind as she watched it pass by through the window. As they pulled into the driveway Addison let out the longest exhale in her life, and that’s saying something since she was carried down the side of a sheer cliff earlier today. They got out of the car and Dale held the front door open for them.

Missy stretched her arms up and said, “I’m glad we won’t have to go into the office so early tomorrow, though the following day will be a different story. I swear I’m going to be seeing numbers in my sleep after finalizing the reconstruction budget.”

“Mm hm. Not to mention re-delegating the monster patrol and coming up with a new name for the agency” Dale added as he put the peach cobbler in the fridge.

His statement caught Addison’s attention. “Huh? What did you say?” she asked as he walked back into the foyer.

“Hm? Oh right, we didn’t tell you yet. The council voted today to rescind all anti-monster laws permanently” he explained.

“Really?!” she excitedly exclaimed.

“Well, after everything that happened we felt that this was the best course of action” Dale smiled, and she read between the lines. It was because of her efforts that this happened and she was completely elated! “We’ll announce it at a town hall meeting tomorrow.”

“Cool!”

“However” Missy spoke, dimming her enthusiasm a bit. “While this was more-or-less a majority decision, the only stipulation was that the monster patrol had to remain intact.”

“…Oh” she dejectedly uttered.

“Addison, we can’t leave these people without jobs – this is their livelihood, despite the nature of their occupation” Dale emphasized.

“Right, right…I get it” she begrudgingly understood; it would be difficult for an entire task force to suddenly find new jobs, and some might not want to. She knew how deeply rooted some people’s views were about zombies, or anything strange for that matter. All it would take were a few disgruntled former employees to take it upon themselves to “maintain” the peace. That’d be a disaster waiting to happen.

Sensing her train of thought Missy emphasized, “However, they will be strictly utilized as a national guard of sorts instead of constantly patrolling the city; that’s what our police department is for and they are quite effective, seeing as our crime rate is virtually non-existent. They will only deployed if and **only** if our citizens are…hmmm…how can I put it?”

Addison knew what she meant, but the fact that she didn’t single out zombies, called them citizens and was trying to be tactful about describing them spoke volumes. “It’s okay mom, I know what you mean” she assured, but it was huge step regardless. Now the zombies wouldn’t have to live in fear of being seized just because of who they were. “But…I’m guessing the alarm towers will still have to be up.”

“Yes, they will. But only in areas where people congregate, such as the school or the park” Dale explained.

“Got it.” Still a lot better than having’em on every other corner like stationary robot sentries.

“Not to mention there will be new trainings and screenings implemented in order to be a part of the patrol. We will focus on subduing confused citizens without extreme force unless it is a last resort” he added.

“Guys, this is incredible!” and her parents could feel how proud she was of them through her admiring smile. However they were taken aback when her countenance suddenly shifted from admiration to apprehension. “And…this may make it an easy transition for what I’m about to tell you.”

“What’s wrong Addison?” Missy asked.

“We should probably sit down for this” she suggested and they went into the living. Addison sat on a cushy chair across from them and took a deep breath. “Mom…dad…I’m doing the alpha trials of the werewolves.”

“The what???” Missy asked.

“…How can I explain this…ummm…okay, so think of the pack as a separate country. The alpha trials are the equivalent of a citizenship test so I can become a part of their nation” she explained.

"I still don’t understand. Why do you even need to take these trials? I thought they already accepted you after the extremely reckless and dangerous stunt you pulled” she reminded and Addison groaned at that. “Mom, I’m alright. Everything turned out fine in the end.”

“Thank God for that!” she responded.

“**sigh**Alright fine, it was dangerous” she admitted just so she could get her off her back. “Are you going to keep me inside again?”

“No, we're not. Unsafe as it was, you still did the right thing. But you’re mother has a point. I thought when the alpha gave you the necklace it was their seal of approval, so to speak” Dale followed up.

“Speaking of, where is your necklace?” Missy noticed. “Ever since you got it you’ve never taken it off.”

“Willa, the alpha, took it back but that’s beside the point. When she gave me the necklace it granted me honorary status, kinda like getting a green card. I’m allowed to be in their territory and around them, but that’s it. But I wanted more than that. I wanted to learn about their culture, what they like and dislike, what’s true and untrue so I don’t offend anyone, and learn their beautiful language. Kinda like being an anthropologist, but ultimately I wanted to understand my new friends” she explained.

“I see” Missy replied, though Addison could see in their eyes that they were clearly impressed by her endeavors.

“So I’m going to assume having the alpha take back the necklace revoked your honorary status” Dale stated.

“Yeah, the werewolves are all or nothing. But Willa said that I’d get it back before I start the next trial the day after tomorrow. I’m sure it’s part of some kind of ceremony” she ventured.

“Next one? You already passed one?” Missy asked and she nodded her head. “What kind of trial was it? And how many trials are there exactly?”

“There’s three of them and I passed the trial of respect” she answered and told them what it entailed.

“Somehow it doesn’t surprise me that you passed that one” Dale smiled.

“And quite easily as well. But there’s something I don’t understand. If your previous actions regarding the moonstone aren’t be used in determining your character, how is it that you could convince the alpha so quickly that you were compatible with the pack? While the cookies you made were absolutely delicious, I doubt those alone would have that kind of influence” Missy pointed out.

“You’re right, they didn’t. But they really liked them though – they were licking their fingers and everything” she chuckled.

“Again, I’m not surprised” Dale repeated.

“Anyway, my intent wasn’t to have those cookies be a bribe. I just wanted to show how much I really appreciated the opportunity to become a part of their pack. And I thought I wouldn’t be able to convey that with just words. Then I remembered what you taught me.”

“…What did I teach you?” Missy curiously inquired.

“Anything that comes from the heart will shine through and be appreciated, no matter what it was” she responded.

Her mother did a double take when she reiterated the lesson that surprisingly stuck with her. Then she smiled and asked, “Did you lose the snowball fight?”

It took a few seconds for Addison to catch the meaning of her question, but once she did both of them lightly giggled.

“One of these days you two are going to let me in on the inside joke” her dad commented.

“One day, but you’re right mom. There was a lot more that happened that led to her decision.” She told them how she comforted Wylie after her nightmare, and how she didn’t let Wyatt conform to her standards in order to make her comfortable – omitting the part about all of them being naked.

“I didn’t want to make him feel inadequate in his own home…what kind of person would that make me?” she said in hushed finality, stunning her parents into absolute silence. Unintentionally or not it felt like she was asking them that question. They watched as she didn’t make eye contact with them, only focusing on her wringing hands. But each hand movement felt like a stab from a pickax – removing caked on layers of dirt over their proverbial eyes, exposing them to a truth they knew was there…yet buried it to justify their foolish actions. All this time they willed themselves to view their daughter as if she had a visible, disgusting ailment that needed to be hidden. But who gave her that “defect” in the first place? Who exacerbated the consequences of possessing the “so-called” defect to fear harsh criticism from her peers? Who made her even dread speaking her thoughts as though the defect could spread like a deadly virus? 

Missy started to puff up indignantly as the questioning thoughts invaded her mind, flatly denying that she was that kind individual. But another glance at her child, this time making brief eye contact, actually made her gasp. Addison quirked an eyebrow up at that, especially since her mother adverted her gaze to rub her temple. Then she shifted her gaze over towards her father; it looked like a boulder just dropped on his shoulders. He rubbed the back of his head and released a long, dejected sigh. “…Not a good one” he quietly uttered, causing her to do a double take.

She wasn’t expecting an actual answer nor anticipating them to look so…remorseful. She’d like to think it was because they finally “saw the light”, but she knew that was too good to be true. Just like Elizabeth said to Yahtow – in order for anyone to truly mature they’d had to admit and accept that they’re wrong. And the day her parents actually admitted they were wrong about the way they treated her will be the day she becomes an actual **werewolf**. And given that that transformation didn’t occur, that meant them professing their mistakes would **never** happen.

“Still, it’s amazing and we’re proud of you Addison” Dale expressed; her mom finally looked at her and nodded in agreement.

“It’s not that big of a deal. All I did was show a little bit of compassion” she brushed off.

“Nonetheless, it’s still you. Therefore you’re amazing” he reiterated.

“Thanks dad” she smiled.

“So…what are the other two trials?” Missy pried and a tiny gulp went down Addison’s throat.

“The next one I’m doing is the hunting trial” she revealed.

“That makes sense” she acknowledged and Addison was a little surprised by that. She thought for sure she wouldn’t want her daughter to participate in something so…beastly. Even though farmers kill livestock all the time in order for them to have meat, but she digressed.

“But what exactly are you going to catch?” Missy asked and Addison explained the wide variety of things wolves ate.

“They can eat all that?!” Dale asked.

“Mm hm. I don’t know what I’ll be able to catch, or find for that matter. I’m just going to go out there and do the best I can” she resolutely stated.

“I’d expect nothing less. And for the final trial?” her mother inquired.

Addison mumbled something that they couldn’t hear. “What was that?” her dad asked. 

“**sigh**I said the combat trial” she repeated.

“WHAT!? COMBAT!?” they concurrently yelled and Addison couldn’t help but laugh a little on the inside. “ _Heh, I wonder how they’d react if I told them that they reacted just like Zed did_ ” she thought, feeling grateful for the earlier conversation she had with her friends. At least she had some semblance on how to proceed.

“Mom…dad” she tried to placate but it went in one ear and out the other.

“You can’t be serious!” Missy disbelievingly declared.

“I am. Look, even though they look like people they're still wolves. They have to fight to protect themselves, their family and their territory. How is that any different from us?” she defended.

“…She does have a point” Dale noted.

“Dale, are you out of your mind!?” she incredulously questioned.

“C’mon Missy, you know those meetings can get just as heated” he reminded.

“And lawsuits prevent them from escalating to MMA fights! This isn’t just some office disagreement, this is a duel! She can’t fight them!” she strongly refuted.

“Gee…thanks for the vote of confidence” Addison muttered.

Missy took a moment to breathe and slow her outrage over this ludicrous contest. “Addison. We know you’re capable of amazing things, but **_please_** be realistic” she clarified.

“Your mother’s right. The patrol needed specialized equipment in order to…subdue them. And if I’m not mistaken, they weren’t even at full strength” her dad pointed out.

“Exactly!” Missy agreed.

“I know, but it doesn’t matter” Addison denounced.

“What do you mean it doesn’t matter!?” Missy shouted.

“The werewolves know that I’m human mom! _Or at least something resembling a human_ ” she quietly muttered. Although her parents couldn’t hear the last part of that sentence, they assumed it had something to do with her hair. They didn’t miss how she restlessly touched the few locks that cascaded over her shoulder. Addison shook out whatever was going through her head and continued, “Anyway, I’m positive they’re going to take that into account and match me up with someone at my skill level. I’m sure they’ll train me beforehand, like how Wyatt gave me hunting lessons. At least I have experience fighting them, I had bunch of sparring matches earlier today!”

“You had sparring matches? With who?!” and she told them how she played with Wyatt and the pups.

“Impressive” Dale admitted.

“How is it that you’re not black and blue all over from being pounced on so much?!” Missy quizzically inquired.

“Because I’m **stronger** and **tougher** than I look” she replied while crossing her arms – almost daring them to say something else.

There was a long pause while they stared each other down.

Eventually Missy let out another long sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Something tells me no matter what we say you’re still going to do this.”

“Mom, I knew what I was getting myself into when I agreed to do the alpha trials. I know my limits. I mean I just went into a crumbling tunnel to help carry a giant moonstone out of a blown-up building” she reminded.

“That’s not helping ease my anxiety Addison” Missy countered.

“Missy” and she looked at her husband. “Let’s give her a chance. She is a smart girl after all – she’ll pass those trials with flying colors” and that made her smile. “If nothing else we can learn about them through her.”

“Wait what? You **actually** want to learn about werewolves?” Addison dubiously questioned.

“Why not? They are our neighbors after all and I’d be remiss if we didn’t have the opportunity to make amends for our…recent encounter” he replied.

Addison skeptically took in his response. “ _Feels more like “keep your friends close and your enemies closer” kind of thing_ ” she thought. “…We’ll see what they allow me to share with you. Like I said, they are secretive.”

“Anything is better than nothing. Either way, you have my support” he agreed, leaving Missy as the last undecided party. “…I cannot believe I’m actually going along with this. Addison, you can do the rest of the trials” she relented.

Addison couldn’t help but beam at her response. She thought for sure her mom would put her foot down, and then she’d have to put her feet to work by running back to the den to defy her command…no matter how conflicting it would be. But now it didn’t have to come to that!

“However, and I can’t stress this enough, Please please _please_ be safe. It was already hard enough watching you fly through the air when you first started cheer” she implored.

“I will, I promise! Thank you mom! Thanks dad!” and she walked around the circular coffee table and gave both of them a hug – startling them for a moment. “This really means a lot to me...thank you for your support.”

Their eyes widened when she heard her whisper that appreciative sentiment; they gradually moved their arms to reciprocate the action that had become so foreign to them. Luckily their muscle memory was still sharp and their embrace was a perfect fit, just like the batteries she put in those toys. Reluctantly they untangled themselves, but Missy still had her hands on her shoulders. She slowly moved one of them to run her fingers through her daughter’s soft, snow white hair. She felt her flinch at the contact and tense up afterwards. She quickly stopped the caresses pulled her arms back to her body. Missy let out a short sigh as she watched Addison anxiously fix her hair. “Addison” she spoke and it took her out of her fidgety, styling trance. “I know you’ll be an excellent werewolf” she smiled.

Addison eyebrows went up in shock at what she said. She somehow managed to keep her composure, but on the inside she felt like a twisted up, big-eyed, rubber-hose cartoon character who discovered something absolutely shocking. The only things missing were a couple of foghorns and explosions. “ _Did…did she just say that? She just said that! I knew it, I am in the Twilight Zone!_ ” were some of the thoughts speeding through her head. She looked over at her dad and he nodded in agreement.

“But” Dale began.

“ _Okay…now we’re coming back down to Earth_ ” she thought when she heard that.

“If you come home with any broken bones, you’ll be grounded for life” he semi-threatened.

 _“Okay…maybe not”_ she thought and finally gave in; she was going to stay on this crazy ride and just see where it took her. “Got it. I’ll make sure I’m extra careful” she swore. “ _With the way Willa’s been guarding me that shouldn’t be an issue”_ she respectfully smiled.

“Good. Now, you said you’re doing the hunting trial the day after tomorrow right?” Dale asked.

“Mm hm.”

“When?”

“Sunrise.”

“Then you’d better get to bed. You’ll need all the rest you can get” he ordered. Seemed like her body agreed with his words because she let out a little yawn; or she could’ve been exhausted from all the stress. Either way, sleep sounded really good right about now. “Alright. Goodnight mom, goodnight dad.”

“Goodnight Addison. We love you” Missy expressed.

Addison stared at them for a brief second when they said that before showing a slight smile. She didn’t say anything, but gave them another hug before heading upstairs to her room.

She took a quick shower and put on some pajama shorts - opting to go topless like she did back at the den. “ _I think it’s about time I feel comfortable in my own home...a little bit at a time anyway_ ” she thought before turning off the lights.

As she was getting under the covers, her phone let out a recognizable **PING PING**. _“That’s right! I was supposed to text Bree!”_ she remembered and unlocked the screen.

<How’d it go?> she read; there’s was a scared face emoji at the end of it.

<It actually went well> and punctuated it with a big grin and thumbs up emojis. She got a bunch of relieved faces in return.

 _“You and me both”_ she smiled. <I’ll let you know how my hunting trial goes.>

<Catch a big one!> Bree replied and put a deer emoji after it.

She chuckled at that; it reminded her of what Row said. “ _Well, a miracle already happened tonight so why not?”_ she grinned before powering down her phone. She snuggled into her comforter and released a relieved exhale – thankful that for once she didn’t have to dream up a fantasy where her parents actually cared about her. At least in this moment in time…they did.

* * *

**_Meanwhile…_ **

“That could’ve gone better” Missy muttered as she slid into bed next to her husband.

“To be honest I thought it was going to be a lot worse” Dale admitted. “I didn’t think she was even going to accept our dinner invitation.”

“No kidding – that definitely caught me off guard. But she might as well declined…it was painful to see her so uncomfortable” she sadly noted.

“I know…I saw it too. She looked like she was avoiding any sort of hidden trap. She was completely defensive and took our words with a grain of salt. She was only at ease when she spoke to Frenzch or while she was eating” he recalled.

“To think that a mere classmate, or a pack of werewolves could have a better relationship with her than us...makes me feel absolutely rotten” Missy grimaced as she rubbed her forehead, feeling a migraine coming on.

“**sigh** I wouldn’t be surprised if she thought we were replaced by doppelgangers or if it was some alternate universe” he dejectedly uttered.

“…It almost could’ve been” she whispered.

Obviously Addison didn’t tell them the whole story of what happened at Prawn, other than she helped the werewolves get their moonstone back and the dance was moved to the den. It wasn’t until they saw the news report that the gravity of the situation hit them. They could’ve lost their daughter…their only child without even telling her that they loved her. But…when was the last time the actually told her that? When was the last time they even hugged? When was the last time they _really_ listened to her?

It was then they faced a real ugly truth; she could’ve died believing that she was **despised** by her own parents. The ones who made her wear a wig most her life. The ones who covertly criticized her at every opportunity whenever she went against the norm. The ones who blamed her for having, in all honesty, a minor mutation that was no fault of her own.

They’ve seen it plenty of times in movies and various news outlets; they’d ask themselves how oblivious could you be to see that your child wasn’t suffering. …Apparently you can be that **oblivious**. Even when she brought up how she passed the trial of respect, Missy could feel the denial rise up within her…but it lost its force when she saw how fragile her daughter looked in that instance. They weren’t her parents…they were her **masters** \- molding into what they saw fit instead of letting her discover herself and guiding her along the way. If it wasn’t for the last little flicker of parental impulse inside of them, they most likely would’ve done what any master does with things that don’t work out… **discard and move on**. It was a devastating pill to swallow.

Immediately their protective instincts took over and they kept her inside in order to keep her safe. But when the knee-jerk reaction wore off, they realized they were imprisoning her – punishing her for showing a little bit of compassion.

“Why?” she whispered more to herself.

“...Why what?” Dale hesitantly asked, for that one word was loaded with so much baggage and Missy let it all spill out.

“Why did we treat her like that?! Why did it take for her almost **dying** for us to even see what we were doing was wrong?! Why…how did it end up like this? To where she can’t even trust us?!” she angrily spat. Dale brought her in for a hug as hot tears and snot streamed down her face – a complete opposite of the composed, collected mayor she presented for the world to see.

“Missy…we know **why** ” he gravely spoke and she flinched at his words.

“No…no! That can’t be the only reason!” she refuted.

Dale gave her a beaten look and sighed. “Honey…”

“No! I refuse to believe it!” she yelled in a subdued voice, making sure Addison didn't hear.

“Missy!” and this time he firmly grabbed her shoulders and made her look at him. “…No one is immune to insecurities. But we could’ve **prevented** a lot of them” was all he said, making more tears appear in her eyes. He brought her back in for another hug while she stained his nightshirt with her overflowing emotions. All the while he tried his best to keep it together…but even he couldn’t help the little hiccupping exhales.

“Do…do you think Addison will ever…” and Missy couldn’t even finish that sentence. She couldn’t stand the thought of her child treating her like a **complete stranger**.

“…I don’t know” he honestly responded.

It wasn’t lost on them that she didn’t even say “I love you” back after they said it to her…and they couldn’t blame her. What do expect when you’ve grown up in an environment where love is conditional? Only given if you meet ungodly, crippling expectations at the expense of your own well-being?

They fell short.

No…that’s not it. They fell into an **abyss** and now they had to climb out of their own grave in order to even begin to reconcile with her.

“I was foolish to even think that this could be a one day fix” he revealed, each word dripping with shame.

“You’re not the only one” and she wipes her eyes with her hand – both of them settling into a reflective silence.

“…Addison won’t be the only one doing the alpha trials” Dale finally says.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that we’ll **fight** anyone to protect her, **respect** her interests and…and”

“ **Hunt** for the love inside of us in order to give it to her” Missy finishes with a bitter chuckle. “Who knew we’d receive an unexpected lesson from werewolves?”

“But a welcomed one nonetheless. It won’t be easy…although it should’ve been had we done right in the beginning” he reflected.

“Initially we did…until we got off track” she whispered. Dale knowingly hummed at that.

“Seems like Addison still remembers our initially correct initial ways. Even though she made those cookies for the pack, she still set some aside for us. I think that’s a good sign that our bridges aren’t completely burned” he noted.

“…I suppose, though they’re hanging on by a thread for sure” she wistfully replied.

“Then we’ll use that thread and start sewing it back together” he replied with a tiny smile.

“…You’ve never sewed anything in your life” she slightly joked.

“For the sake of our family I’m willing to learn – no matter how many times I get pricked” he stated and she nodded at that. “C’mon, we can’t get anything done without rest.”

“You’re right” she agreed but got up to go to the bathroom sink to clean her face. She got back in bed and nestled against him. He stroked his fingers through her gingerbread colored hair, helping her to relax.

“ _…I hope Addison can **truly** enjoy head caresses one day”_ she thought. “Goodnight Dale” she whispered.

“Goodnight Missy, sweet dreams” he replied and soon both of them closed their eyes.

They weren’t sure how sweet their dreams could be; a dreamless night would be far better than a horrific nightmare where they were the indifferent monsters they painted others to be. Because for a long moment in time…they were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How is it you can point out a speck of dirt in one person's eye yet ignore the log in your own? Manipulation combined with distrust is never good in any relationship, but at least the family is finally on the right path to working things out. And Missy did get her wish, Addison is comfortable with head caresses...just not hers. 
> 
> Fun fact, Vuey's is based on a real restaurant in Georgia(had to change the name a bit) and it's really good!
> 
> Next is the hunting trial. Will another miracle come to pass or is Addison really biting off more than she can chew? Tune in to find out.  
> I don't own ZOMBIES, just my imaginative capabilities and original characters.  
> Thank you so much for everyone taking the time to read this story, I am truly grateful!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: mentions of blood and nudity(nothing explicit).

Sluggish footsteps across the forest floor. Small splashes from various aquatic life. Lush branches swaying along the mild breeze passing through. An exquisite melody signaling the finale of another night cycle before the light of dawn revealed the natural dyes of the world. However, one pulsing light dyed the only conscious wolf in a familiar blue hue - though with much more radiance than before.

“…What in the world happened to you? _”_ Willa asked the inanimate pendant nestled in the palm of her hand. The stone seemed to answer her question by pulsating faster – communicating in its own Morse code; but she had no clue what it translated to. “ _Well…one way or another I’ll get my answer_ ” she thought as she gripped it tighter. Though when she did, she noticed something peculiar. “ _Huh…that’s odd. I can’t feel its energy_ ” she realized. But her ears certainly noticed something. Bare footsteps were exiting the den tunnel and her nose told her exactly who was coming outside to join her.

“You’re up early” she commented.

“So are you” Wyatt responded as he stood right next to her.

“I’m the alpha. I’m always the first one up” she reminded.

“You were always up first, even before you were chosen. I’m starting to think you’re using your rank to make everyone to acclimate to your inner clock” he ventured.

“Hmph!” she scoffed.

“I’m not hearing a no” he smirked.

“Because I refuse to deign myself by responding to an audacious claim” she refuted.

“Ouch, got the fangs that time” he replied, making her victoriously smirk.

“Still, this is early. Even for you” he noted.

“What? Can’t a wolf enjoy being outside? It’s actually quite pleasant” she remarked.

“And so is back inside the den. **sigh** Why can’t you just admit that you’re just as excited to see Addison as I am?”

“Because I’m not” she quickly shot down.

“Really?” he disbelievingly asked.

“Yes, really.”

“Are you worried about her then?”

“No. I know she can get here cartwheeling backwards if she wanted to. I’m just…just…waiting to hear what she’ll howl and get a good laugh out of it” she finally said.

“…Uh huh” he skeptically voiced.

“What? Are you doubting your alpha?” she challenged.

Wyatt raised an eyebrow and remarked, “You **do** realize we can sense when someone is hiding something right? You’re not above detection big sis.”

Willa huffed at his accusation. “I’m not hiding anything. I’m just…keeping certain things close to the vest” she clarified.

He placed his hand over his heart – feigning shock. “**GASP** I’m not privy to the knowledge of the alpha anymore? Even though I’m her brother?? Double ouch!” he whined earning a shove from her.

“Whatever Wyatt. You know you’re my right hand wolf” she vouched, making him smile. “I just…I don’t want to get your hopes up” she disclosed.

“Huh? What do you mean?” he asked.

Before she could answer their ears perked up to a faint howl in the distance. “At least she said “I’m here” Wyatt grinned.

“She could’ve left out the rest of the words though. That’s a lot of pebbles for the swear wolf jar” she snickered. “Go back inside and wake everybody up. It sounded like she was past claw rock so she should be here soon” she ordered and he eagerly followed the command. Willa looked up at the sky, seeing a small, white sliver as the sun was starting to spill its light over the land. “ _It’s a good thing she showed up early, she’ll need all the time she can get”_ she thought before responding to Addison’s howl with her own.

A few minutes later she heard excited yips and barks echo throughout the tunnel. “ _Impressive, they managed to get the pups up. Then again, the leader of team Run B &B is returning so I shouldn’t be too surprised”_ she reasoned. In fact she was just as ecstatic to be seeing Addison again, though she’d never admit it to Wyatt – she had an image to maintain. Speaking of images, she opened her hand to look at the necklace again. She was surprised to see it shining brighter than before. “ _You’re excited to see her too huh? **sigh** I just hope it’ll be something that she’ll welcome. I know she’s been lone soul for so long, but it’s still a big change_ ” she thought as she tucked it away in her vest pocket.

Suddenly Kraw and Wylie come dashing out of the den and latch onto her legs.

“I won!” Wylie declared. “Did not! I did!” Kraw refuted.

“Well, good morning to you too” Willa smiled and affectionately rubbed their heads.

“Good morning alpha” they respectfully replied.

“I’m guessing I’m the finish line to your race?” she surmised.

They nodded and let go of her. “I won, right alpha?” Wylie asked. “She did not! Tell her I won!” Kraw countered.

“Sorry pups, kinda hard to tell when you come up behind me. I don’t have eyes on the back of my head, despite what my brother might say” she apologized.

“Oh…right” they realized.

Soon the rest of the pups come out of the tunnel. “Good morning alpha!” they simultaneously greet.

“Good morning pups” and she gives them all friendly head rubs, making them giggle. “Where’s everyone else?” she inquired.

“They’re still washing up” Wanda answered.

“We got done fast because we wanted to see if Addy was here” Wylan added.

Then a mischievous smirk appeared on Willa’s lips. “She’s not here yet, but Wyatt and I heard her howl. It sounded like it was past claw rock."

"That’s really close!” Wylie beamed.

“Sure is. So how about a little challenge?” she wagered.

“What kind of challenge?” Gnaw asked.

“Nothing major, just a little race. Whoever pounces on Addison first will get five pebbles” and that made all of pups’ eyes change color. “Just make sure she can see you or else she won’t be able to tell. Then the winner will howl” she explained.

“Got it” they all responded.

She leaned down and used her claw to draw a line in the dirt; the pups lined up and got on all fours. “Ready?” and all of them gave an affirmative bark. “On your mark…get set…GO!” she shouted and they took off, spraying dirt and leaves behind them.

Moments later the rest of the pack come out in time to see their leader laughing like no tomorrow. "Um…Alpha?” Warren hesitantly called out, getting her attention.

“Hehahah oh hey! Good morning everyone" she greeted.

“Uh…what’s so funny?” Wyatt asked.

“**gasp** Was it something Addison said?” Wynter grinned.

“And where are the pups anyway?” Willie noticed.

“Addison should be getting a nice welcome from the pups any minute now” she cheekily smiled.

Sure enough everyone hears an “UHUFOF” nearby, along with laughing and victory howls from Gnaw. “Gnaw won? That’s a surprise” she commented.

“Won what? What did you have them do?” Wyatt asked.

“What? I thought you were okay with Addison being greeted with affectionate gestures” she reminded. “Although this could also be considered punishment for all those words she howled earlier.”

“I knew it!” Wynter chuckled.

“What did she say?” Row asked.

“Trust me, you don’t want to know. Let’s just say the swear wolf jar would’ve been filled five times over” and that made all of them go “oh”.

“Willa, you still haven’t answered my question” Wyatt border lined growled.

Willa finally acquiesced and explained, “I gave the pups a racing challenge. Whoever pounced on Addison first would get five pebbles from me.”

“What?!” Wyatt and Wen exclaimed, though for totally different reasons.

“Awww! Why didn’t you tell us? I could’ve taken bets” Wen whined.

“Sorry Wen, it was a spur of the moment kind of thing” she replied.

“Bets? Really?!” he incredulously asked, making him submissively shrink back. “I can’t believe you had them pounce on her just before her hunting trial” he fumed.

“Oh stop being such a worry wolf” she denounced, but in the back of her mind she expected as much given his feelings for her. “You know Addison is a tough girl. She can handle just about anything.”

“Yeah…she sure can” he admiringly replied. She rolled her eyes at his mushy response but smiled nonetheless.

Rustling footsteps redirected their attention to the path obscured by foliage. Gnaw dashes out and runs straight to his leader. “Alpha, I won! I won!” he happily proclaimed.

“So I heard” she grinned.

“Not exactly a face-off but I guess you got your pebbles after all huh?” Wyatt added.

“Yeah! Can I have them now? Please? You promised.”

“I did and I will, once Addison starts her trial” she assured.

“Okay!”

“Is everyone else right behind you?” Willow asked.

“Uh huh, they’ll be here soon. Addy saw some fresh rabbit tracks along the way and wanted to remember which direction they went” he explained.

“A rabbit huh? You don’t say” Willie remarked. “Wouldn’t that be something if her first catch was a hare? It’d be just like you mate” he smiled at Wyatt.

“Heh, it sure would be special” he agreed. “But I’ll be proud of whatever she manages to catch” and everyone nodded at that.

“Well, I definitely admire her enthusiasm. Not only did she get here early, she’s even getting a head start on tracking her prey” Willa acknowledged.

“That’s my pupil!” Wyatt proudly stated.

She grinned at his declaration and replied, “Alright teacher, care to make a wager on your student?”

“What’s the point? We all know she’s going to catch something” he dismissed.

“I didn’t say she wouldn’t. I’m just curious what you think she’ll catch. Mammal, reptile, bird or fish” she listed. “Anyone game?”

“Oh you know I am” Wen replied, rubbing his hands together.

“I’m starting to think you have a gambling problem” Wei remarked.

“I do not! You’re just jealous that my collection is bigger than yours” he scoffed.

“Uh huh, and who gave you half of those again?” he countered, making him falter. “That’s what I thought.”

“Pfft, whatever. You want’em back? Bet half and I’ll bet what you gave me. Double or nothing!” he challenged.

“Fine by me” he accepted.

“On what?” Willa asked.

“I think she’ll catch a fish” Wen replied.

“Bird for me” Wei answered.

“Got it” she mentally noted.

“…This is crazy” Wyatt muttered.

“No, this is showing confidence” his sister refuted. “So what’s it going to be brother?”

“...You’re going to make me do this even if I say no aren’t you?”

“Yup.”

“Uggh, fine. I believe she’ll catch a mammal. A big one” he cast.

“See? Showing confidence. But there’s no bonus for size. Alright, anyone else want to join?” and the rest of the pack put in their guesses.

Row, Wyatt, and Warren chose mammal. Willow, Wen, Willa chose fish. And Wynter, Willie, Wei and Rwylo chose bird.

“Huh, no one for reptile” Willa noticed.

“Hey! What about me?” Gnaw asked.

“Sure, you and the rest of the pups can place a wager too” she assured.

“Speaking of, I thought you said they were right behind you” Willow recalled.

“Yeah, they were” Gnaw confirmed. Everyone sniffs the air to see if they could locate their whereabouts.

“Well, they’re still around” Willie comments.

“Maybe she really did get a head start and decided to go after the rabbit” Wynter ventured.

“With the pups in tow?” Wyatt asked.

“What? You know they’d want to be witness to whatever she caught. Plus maybe it was close by - that’s why their scent is still around” she defended.

“Nuh uh, Addy wouldn’t go. She was carrying a few bags when we found her and she said one of’em was for us” Gnaw reported.

“Then I wonder what’s keeping them?” Willa pondered.

They didn’t have to wonder for long before a chorus of stampeding footsteps came charging right up to them.

“We’re here!” Wylan announced.

“Welcome home Addy!” Wylie beamed.

“Thank you” she smiled back.

The pack grinned at the cuteness exuded by Addison as she set her two duffel bags down and took Nawnu off of her back.

“Thank ku fo rie Addy” Nawnu expressed.

“My pleasure Nawnu” and she ruffled her hair.

“Heh, did you like the good morning greeting I sent your way?” Willa smirked.

Addison chuckled when she heard her voice. “I did. To be honest I was expecting…!” but the rest of her words fell to the wayside when she finally looked up and saw everyone else. A small blush crept onto her cheeks when she noticed that the only thing the entire pack was wearing were their vests. She didn’t think much of it when the she saw the pups in their vests and pajama bottoms; she figured they couldn’t wait to see her and having Willa turn their enthusiasm into a contest was just a bonus for them. But to actually see the whole pack nude and **consciously** aware that they were was an entirely different matter.

Just before her eyes shifted down towards the ground, they locked onto Wyatt’s. He showed a reassuring smile and that’s when she remembered the meaning of this natural display.

_“Y’know, in our pack we view and treat our bodies like a sacred temple. Allowing others to see it is a sign of complete and absolute trust.”_

Wyatt adoringly nodded at her when he noticed her tension suddenly disappear. Willa caught on too and smirked, “Expecting what white hair?”

“...Expecting you to appear out of nowhere and pounce on me” she finished, showing her own relaxed smile.

“I still can, if you want” she grinned as her necklace glowed – turning her eyes yellow.

“Let’s wait until my victory wolf pile” she compromised, making the rest of the wolves laugh.

“Fair enough” she agreed and her eyes returned to their normal ebony color.

“And…um…” Addison stuttered before nervously shuffling in place.

“Hm? What’s wrong Addison?” Wynter questioned.

“Did the pups pounce on you too hard?” Wyatt followed up, almost glaring at them.

“No! We genty” Nawnu refuted.

“Yeah! We didn’t even knock her over! Well…until Trew jumped on at the end” Kraw explained.

“B-But I was careful” Trew timidly defended.

“No, no. They were fine – affectionate as always. It’s just…um…h-hold on.” Willa quirked an eyebrow up when she began unzipping her dark blue jacket; the rest of the pack were just as confused. But their countenances soon morphed into pleased smiles when she removed it and the matching t-shirt.

Addison stretched her arms up and merrily hummed, enjoying the crisp, comfortable air on her bare skin. Though that action lasted all but a second when her “human side” realized she was more or less putting on a show. “ _Oh don’t even go there_ ” she mentally chastised, but it was still difficult to ignore all the mental alarms telling her to cover up.

So she did.

She covered her **bags** by setting the clothes on top. _“How about that?”_ she internally bit back and caged the pervading thoughts; though they tried their hardest to escape when she spoke to the pack. “Th-thank you for…um…well…all this” she sputtered as she gestured to their bodies. “I’m truly honored you feel that way about me. And I feel the same about all of you, I really do! It’s just…um…”

“Addison, we know” Willa assured and everyone else warmly nodded; Addison showed a kind smile in return.

“Besides, I’m guessing you were planning on taking your shirt off anyway since you weren’t wearing your upper undergarment. Am I right?” she deduced, making her blush reappear and spread even more. She meekly nodded at that.

“And were you going to do that becaaause?” Willa encouraged.

“Because…I feel comfortable in my own home” she smiled, finally sealing away those foul thoughts for good.

“Exactly” she smiled back.

“And if I may, all of you look absolutely fabulous! Especially with your new fur” she complimented. There were lush portions of fur on their shoulders, upper back, elbows and calves; it meshed perfectly with their skin.

The pups giggled and happily shuffled in place while everyone else proudly preened themselves up a bit. “Thank you Addison” Row smiled.

“I figured as much. Your eyes were roaming all over our bodies” Willa teasingly noted.

At that point Addison could’ve been mistaken for a giant Rufus apple with how deep her blush was. But she managed to regain her composure and replied, “It’s not every day I can behold such beauty and confidence. Can you blame my eyes for wanting to take it all in?”

That heartfelt response stunned everyone; it even put a small blush on Willa’s face. “N-No. I suppose not” she replied, and the pack were quite astonished to hear her bashful tone. Wyatt couldn’t stop grinning even if he wanted to. “But don’t make it sound so finite white hair. Your eyes will get to enjoy this for moons to come. But first, let’s go inside so we can initiate the hunting trial.”

“Right!”

“Here, let me grab your bags” Wyatt offered.

“Thank you Wyatt, you’re such a gentle-wolf” she smiled, making that jumping grasshopper sensation fill his stomach again.

“N-No problem” he replied.

She folded her clothes first and stuck’em inside the bag before he picked them up; they followed everyone into the entrance tunnel. “Uh…was this gift from your cousin?” he asked while holding up the bag with Bucky’s cartoon face on it.

“Eh…kinda. That’s the cheer captain bag. As you can see, he designed it” she replied.

“Yeah. It is…interesting” he described.

“That’s one way to put it. If it were up to me I’d combine the fighting shrimp logo with one the packs’ runes” she depicted.

“That’d definitely be an improvement” Wynter chimed in.

“Speaking of designs, I’m really loving your fur patterns!” she gushed now that she had a closer view of their bodies.

“You wanna feel it?” Wynter offered.

“Huh? Really?”

“Sure, go ahead” she insisted and held her arm out. Her fur was tawny colored with striking butterscotch yellow, burnt orange and cream stripes.

“Woow…it’s so soft” Addison marveled.

“Thank you!” Wynter stated before giving Wyatt a stern stare down. “See?!”

“What? I never said it wasn’t soft” he denied.

“Uh huh. Didn’t you say, “Wynter! Get your **coarse** elbow out of my mouth!”? she recalled.

“Okay, that’s not fair and you know it” he frowned.

“Is it? You don’t seem to have a problem when you bite through the fur of whatever animal to get to its innards” she countered.

“C’mon Wynter, I said that just as I was waking up yesterday. Gimme a break.”

“Only if you admit that my fur is soft” she demanded as she poked his furry shoulder.

“…Fine. Your fur is as soft as a snowshoe’s pelt” he complimented.

“That’s better” she smiled and he rolled his eyes. Addison inconspicuously giggled the interaction.

“Hey Addison, you wanna check out mine?” Willie offered while flexing his arm.

“Yeah!” she gladly replied. His fur was jet black with a silver and caramel patch pattern. “Oh wow Willie, yours is really silky!” she remarked as she petted it.

“Thanks mate” he beamed.

“Feel mine Addy!” “Mine too” “My fur is waay softer” the pups pushed against her, making her laugh.

“I guess we are irresistible, huh Addison?” Wyatt grinned as he watched her lovingly pet each pup.

“Well, I did tell you that I wouldn’t be able to help myself. That’s why I apologized in advance” she reminded.

“And like I said before, we don’t mind one bit” he reconfirmed.

“Still, it’s amazing how fast your guys’ fur grew in. Does that mean you’re getting close to regaining your true forms?” she asked.

“We already have. Y’see this is what we’re supposed to look like” Willie explained.

“Really?”

“Uh huh. This what the elders call our balanced form. When we’re low on energy, we more or less look like humans. When we’re full and synchronized, then we look like this” Wyatt explained.

“And when you turn on the switch so to speak, you turn into lycanthropes” she ventured.

“Exactly” he confirmed.

“Heh, talk about coincidental” she chuckled.

“Why’s that?” Wyatt asked.

“Because I brought your toys, and all of them work just fine” she giddily revealed.

“Really?! YAY!” the pups cheered.

“I had a lot of fun testing them out. Your top was extra enjoyable Wyatt – I can see why you like it so much. And there are plenty of batteries to replace’em whenever they run out of juice” she assured.

“You are too kind. Thank you Addison” Wyatt gratefully replied.

“Your welcome, but you don’t have to thank me – you paid for them after all. And I have your change too.”

“Keep it” he insisted.

“What? No! I know you guys said you don’t have a use for it, but there was surprisingly a lot leftover and it’s still the packs’” she rebutted. 

“Exactly. And you’re gonna be part of the pack, therefore it’s yours” he smugly countered.

“…Wyatt.”

“Then consider it a tip” he suggested.

“Wyatt!”

“Addison! If you give that money back to me, I’ll have no choice but to pounce on Willa repeatedly” he threatened.

“What? How’d I get dragged into your silly squabble?” she asked as all of them filtered into the main area.

“Because you’re the alpha. You settle disputes” he replied with a straight face.

“…Really” she deadpanned with a raised eyebrow.

“Yep” he confirmed.

“He does have a point” Wynter giggled.

“And how is pouncing on me-”

“Repeatedly” he reminded.

She growled at him and continued, “Anyway how is that supposed to solve anything?”

“I dunno” he shrugged his shoulders. “I know it’d make me feel good.”

“…I see” she smirked and Addison gulped; she did **not** like that impish glint in her eyes. “Then whatever you do to me, I’ll do to Addison triple-fold” and Willa showed a gleaming, fanged smile while cracking her knuckles.

“Okay, okay! I’ll keep the change!” Addison quickly gave in. She didn’t want to risk finding out whether or not she was joking. And even if she was, she still didn’t want to be on the receiving end of any triple-strength pounces.

“I’m glad we came to an understanding. Thank you alpha” Wyatt bowed to his sister.

“Anytime” Willa bowed back.

Addison just shook her head. “You two are something else” she commented.

The siblings put their arms over each other’s shoulders and smiled. “Why thank you!” they simultaneously replied, making all of the wolves laugh at their antics.

“Alright, let’s get you on your way so you can catch something. You’ll need all the time you can get” Willa stated. “Rwylo, go get the marking paint please.”

“Right away alpha” and he went down the corridor to retrieve it. Wyatt let go of his sister and went down the corridor as well to put Addison’s bags in the sleeping area. Both of them return a moment later and all of the wolves get in formation behind their leader.

“Addison Wells, you are about to attempt the hunting trial of the Nanukilik pack. The rules are simple – you must track and kill your prey of choice, then bring it back to the den before the sun sets. If you fail, your challenge will be over and you will **never** be allowed to interact with our pack nor be allowed in our territory so long as **I** am alpha” Willa states.

“WHAT?!” Wyatt barked; even the rest of the pack looked upon her with incredulous gazes. But everyone submits to her authority when she lets out a menacing growl – it doesn’t stop her brother from furiously glaring at her though. However that glare was replaced with a look of pure shock when Addison bowed and replied, “I understand and accept your terms alpha.”

“Very well” she acknowledged before signaling to Rwylo to step forward. Addison straightened back up as he approached her with a wooden box in his hands. He opened it and there was purple paint, a little brush and a mini mirror inside.

“Hold still please” he said and she heeded his request. He dabbed the tiny brush into the ink and started painting underneath her right eye.

“What Rwylo is painting on you is the mark of our pack” Willa explained. His experience showed because he was done in no time. He handed her the box so she could use the mirror to take a look.

“Whooa” she marveled. It was four triangles that almost resembled a sharp-clawed paw print; only thing missing was the center paw pad.

“Those four marks represent the earth, air, water and ourselves - forever connected as one” Willa explained and Addison respectfully nodded at that. Rwylo steps back to join the rest of the pack while Willa walks up to her.

“Just one last thing” she said and pulls the moonstone necklace out of her pocket. The light never ceased to mesmerize Addison; it was like seeing it for the first time all over again.

“Addison” Willa spoke, snapping her out of trance. “If you’re serious about completing these trials, then I present this necklace to you. However…if you put this on, there is no turning back.”

Addison looks at the necklace in Willa’s hand – how pulses like a heartbeat. Yet she’s utterly befuddled by what she heard. “Alpha, I mean no disrespect but I can’t accept the necklace – I’m **not** a wolf. Please don’t misunderstand me though, I want to do the trials. But you should save it for the next werewolf” she insisted.

Willa couldn’t help but smile – not only at Addison’s compassion, but also at the irony of what she just said. “Don’t worry about that. We have plenty of necklaces for generations to come” she assured.

“But I-”

“Addison” she firmly cut her off. “I gave it to you the first time knowing you weren’t a wolf. You accepted it then, and if you choose to do so, please accept it now” she implored.

Addison stared at her – mulling over her words. Then she looked back at the necklace and was surprised to see it beating faster; it was like it could barely contain its excitement about being reunited with her.

“I accept” she declared and moved her hair out of the way so Willa could tie it around her neck.

She steps back and looks over Addison for a few moments with baited breath…but nothing happens. _“**sigh** So much for that”_ she dejectedly thought, but kept her disappointment from showing on her face. Addison still wanted to be a part of the pack and that was more than good enough for her. “It still looks good on you white hair" she fondly smiled.

“Thank you alpAAAAHHH!” Addison abruptly yelled out in pain.

“ADDISON!” everyone screamed. “WHAT’S WRONG?!” Wyatt yelled.

“STAY PUT!” Willa commanded and it took every ounce of self-control the pack had not to rush over and assist their hurting friend. She carefully eased the shivering, crumpling girl to her hands and knees. Her eyes were screwed shut and had one arm wrapped around her cramping abdomen in an instinctive, yet futile attempt to ease this sudden pain.

 _“W-What’s going on!? Did my period start or something!? Oh God this HURTS!”_ and leaned her forehead down to touch the cool stone floor. Every muscle that was visible were as taught as wire cables; it was as if she just did the last set of an intense weight training workout.

“GYAH…UNUH!” she grunted in the midst of her profuse panting. She clenched her free hand into a fist and pounds on the floor repeatedly, trying to will the pain away. “GRAAAAH!” she painfully growls.

Willa carefully approaches her and places a hand on her back. She gasps and retracts it for a brief second due to how warm she was. But she gets over the initial shock and starts rubbing her back, desperately trying to provide any semblance of comfort. “You’re going to be okay Addison, you’re okay, you’ll be fine. It’ll be over soon, I promise” she assuredly murmured into her ear, but her mind wasn’t anything like the calm persona she presented. _“Why is this happening!? What’s going on?! Oh God, what have I done?!”_

“RAAAAHHHHHHHH!” she screams and curls in tighter on herself. Suddenly the scent of blood hits everyone’s nose.

Willa backs up and notices her uncurled hand sliding against the floor, leaving behind red smears. “ _Claws!_ ” she realized. Sharp, keratinized claws were coming from up underneath her nails; thankfully the cuts quickly healed themselves as fast as they appeared.

“GRUH! AAHH!” Addison yowled and slowly moves her sore legs to try and flick her shoes off. Willa got the hint and hastily took them off her feet. Everyone was completely floored when they saw her toe claws shred through her now blood-stained white socks.

And that wasn’t the only visible change.

White fur started sprouting along her shoulders, calves, and elbows; not to mention her ears morphed into the signature pointed ones of a werewolf.

“…No way” Wynter gasped, matching everyone’s shocked sentiment.

Addison lifted her head up just a tiny bit and moved the hand that was around her waist to her forehead. Her heart was beating insanely fast – like she had consumed eight shots of the world’s most concentrated expresso; the resulting headache was damn near excruciating. She clenched her newly grown-in fangs together, inadvertently poking her lips in the process. But like every other wound it healed up instantaneously. Yet despite all the pain she endured, she did not shed a single tear. The same couldn’t be said for the pups as they latched onto any nearby leg, desperately whining and praying for her pain to stop. Willa was about to massage her tight body again but was taken aback when Addison abruptly leaned up on her knees.

“GGRRRAAAAARRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOO!” she howled and her necklace lit up like a blue inferno.

All of a sudden the moonstone matched the luminosity of Addison’s pendant and illuminated the whole area; everyone had to their eyes due to the sheer brightness. Soon the blaze within her necklace died down, ending the dazzling display.

“Gyuh…rrragh…” Addison moaned; she started to sway but Willa caught her before she face-planted the floor. She was still warm and panting arduously, but she was alive. And truth be told Willa was extremely thankful that she was unconscious; at least she wouldn’t feel any other transformations that still needed to happen. “ _Don’t worry Addison, I got you. You’ll be fine, I promise you will_ ” she thought and gave her limp body a gentle squeeze. Suddenly her ears picked up on her pack mate’s cautiously encroaching footsteps; they froze on the spot when she made eye contact with them. The pups came around Warren’s and Willow’s legs and carefully sniffed around them.

“Is…is it over?” Wanda gulped.

“Is Addy okay?” Wylie worryingly inquired, tears threatening to spill again.

“It isn’t over” Willa answered; she noticed Addison’s body was still throbbing and sprouting white fur. “But it seems the worst has passed” she followed up, making everyone sigh in relief.

“But…how is this even possible?” Wynter asked.

“I don’t know…but at least it explains **a lot** of things. For now let’s get her cleaned up and comfortable” she suggested.

“Here, I’ll carry her” Wyatt outright volunteered.

“…Alright, but **be** gentle. Wolves, keep your voices down. I don’t want anything startling her” she whispered. Everyone nodded at that and went down the corridor to prep the necessary supplies.

Willa helped lay Addison in Wyatt’s awaiting arms. He held her close to his body if she was a newborn pup, which in a sense she was. Both of them whined when they saw her exhausted, pained countenance. However those sounds morphed into small yips when her now pronounced scent hit their nostrils.

“Willa…her scent!” he whispered.

“I-I know, but there’s no way” she refuted.

He sniffed her again just to be sure and he couldn’t help but let out a content hum. It was intoxicating – meshing perfectly with his. But…that only happened when… “Unbelievable” he uttered.

He wasn’t quite sure what to make of all this; now he understood why Willa said she didn’t want him to get his hopes up. While part of him was ecstatic that Addison actually turned out to be one of them, it begged the question…did she really want to be a werewolf? Sure she wanted to be part of the pack, but being one is something completely different. Not to mention all the pain she went through; if she had known it had entailed all this…would she have still accepted the necklace? But it was a moot point now; like Willa said, there’s no going back from this.

“C’mon, let’s go to the water room. We’ll figure out all this later” she said and he nodded.

 _“Please be okay Addison”_ he internally pleaded and gave her a little lick on her forehead. No matter what he would make sure that she was not only comfortable in her own home, but in her own skin as well.

* * *

“Nnnnggh…guuuuhh…” a weary soul moaned.

Her eyes strained themselves to lift the heavy lids that were closing them off from viewing the surrounding area. When they finally succeeded…it was not the environment she was expecting to see. A multitude of blue amoeba-like sparks were spreading their pseudopods, connecting with one another to create a giant version of itself.

“Wh-what? Where am I?” she asked. 

That question wasn’t answered, but the massive amoeba appeared to have noticed her presence and launched its tendrils towards her.

“GAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!” she screamed as they latched onto her body. It felt like millions upon millions of IV needles were being inserted into skin, filling her with whatever electrical essence they contained. “GYUHAAH! PLEASSSE…STOOOP!” and the amoeba seemed to have heeded her command. They were still attached to her, pumping in whatever substance, but it wasn’t nearly as intense.

“…Sorry”

“H-Huh? GAH!” she grunted as another burning wave of pain wracked her body. She opened her eyes again to see the same illuminated space. Through labored breaths she managed to shout, “W-Who’s there!? What’s happening to me?!”

“Have to…want to…need to” the voice spoke.

It didn’t sound like anyone from the pack; unless all this pain caused her to be delirious. For all she knew this was some really messed up dream that felt a little too real for her liking. But she was surprisingly aware, despite conventional wisdom denouncing this type of bizarre setting. Left with no other options, she decided to respond to this ethereal voice.

“Need to…what?” she hesitantly asked.

“Have to…reconnect. Want to…be whole” it replied.

“Whole?” she repeated.

“Need to…be with you. Together…we are one.”

“We are one?” and somehow she could feel this being nod its head inside of her.

“…Sorry for pain. Didn’t know. Excited to reunite” it expressed.

“Reunite? Where did you even come from?” she asked.

“Moonstone” it replied.

“Moonstone? **GASP** You’re from the necklace!?” and it gave a small, affirmative flash in response. “Then…all this…and that means…I’m a werewolf?!” she exclaimed but she could feel the voice shake its head “no.”

“Need to…finish. Have to…reconnect. But…no want pain. Want pup safe.”

 _“…Pup”_ she mentally repeated - smiling at her new designation. There were so many questions she wanted to ask, but now was not the time for them. If she couldn’t get past this step, then it’d all be meaningless anyway. She managed to glance around at the bright blue amoeba still attached to her, but she could tell it was treading cautiously around her. She took a deep breath to steady herself for what was about to occur.

“It’s alright, I’ll be fine.” She could somehow sense the being’s hesitation. “It’s okay, I was just caught off guard. Like when my pack pounces on me” she explained, hoping the analogy would reassure it. “Now that I know what to expect, I promise I can handle it. I am tougher and stronger than I look” and the being couldn’t help but nod in agreement with that.

“…Pup sure?” it asked.

“I am. Do whatever you need to do, and don’t stop until we are one” she commanded.

She felt it nod at the issued order, albeit with some reservation. The amoeba gradually flared back to life – almost as if it were giving a countdown.

Addison closed her eyes and exhaled, bracing herself. But they instantly shot open as the energy flooded into her being. “GRRAH! AHHHH! GYUHHHH!” she screamed and writhed in agony, but the amoeba didn’t stop – just like she commanded. With one last push the entire area was covered in a blinding white light.

“GGRRRAAAAARRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

All of a sudden the light vanished, leaving her utterly limp in this strange void. Her eyes tried to lift the lids, but found it to be much more difficult this time around.

“Gyuh…rrragh…” she moaned; she was completely exhausted. Try as she might her eyes slowly closed with no intention of reopening. However…she could’ve sworn that she saw a golden eye looking back at her before she drifted off.

“Pup did it, we are one! Rest now. Promise be better soon. Guardian make sure.”

* * *

“Hrrrmmm…grrrrr…”

“Hey, hey! Look!”

“Grrrrmmmm…”

“She’s waking up!”

“Everyone go over there!”

A nose twitch. A few grumbles. A slight wiggle of a few fingers and toes. These normally unnoticed actions caused a great deal of nervous fervor within the pack. The conductor of those actions slowly open her eyes, beholding the wolf mural on the ceiling – still protecting everyone.

“Uuugghhh…” Addison moaned as she eased herself up into a sitting position. She blinked her eyes a few times to get rid of the blurriness. “Ah…Ahh…ACHOO! **sniff** Wha-! **GASP**” and her sight snapped into focus when she spoke her first word through her fanged mouth. Her tongue gently ran over her new, enlarged canines – eyes widening with every stroke. She hastily lifted her hands up and saw that she now possessed razor sharp claws, though it looked like they had some work done to them; they were polished and filed. When she curled her fingers she was expecting to feel pricks on the palms of her hands, but she didn’t feel a thing! They looked normal but felt…tougher. She stuck her fingers in her mouth like a teething toddler to really make sure those canines were attached to her gums. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed white fur on her elbows. She took her hands out of her mouth and twisted her left arm to get a better look. She tentatively touched it and was definitely surprised by how luscious and velvety it was. Then she quickly straightened out her legs; just beneath the cuff of her heather-gray Capri sweatpants she saw more fur on her calves. Her breathing bordered on hyperventilating as she carefully ran her claws through her hair.

“It…it wasn’t a dream? This…this is real? HOLY CRAP, IT’S REAL!? OHMYGOD, I’M A WEREWOLF!?” Shock, happiness and trepidation all came out in her declaration as she tried to scramble to her feet, but it was a little hard on the slick, stone floor. All of a sudden her ears twitched – someone was approaching. She didn’t even have a chance to look up to see who or what it was before she was pushed back into the pelts.

“Addison, please relax. You’re alright, you’re safe” Willa gently whispered into her ear as she engulfed her in comforting yet restraining embrace. Adrenaline still flowed throughout Addison’s body, but slowly started to dissipate as Willa rubbed her head. The alpha moved back just a tad to allow her to move her arms to return the hug. She could feel her rapid heartbeat as their bare chests touched. “Just focus on me, okay? Can you do that for me? Please?”

She heeded her request closed her eyes, taking slow calming breaths. Willa felt her slack a little in her grip, but she suddenly gasped and tensed back up again. Addison pushed her off a bit but still had her hands on her shoulders; her eyes met her brighter cerulean ones. “Addison? What’s wrong?!” she frantically whispered.

“Y-Your scent! I can smell it! You smell like me! But…not me? And I hear-”

“Addison” Willa firmly whispered, stopping her rambling description. She embraced her again and softly commanded, “Just relax. I know it might be a little overwhelming, but your other senses are fully awake now. How do you feel? Dizzy? Nauseous?”

“N-No, not really. Just a little hungry” she replied.

“I see. We’ll get you something to eat, I promise. But first I’m going to ask you to do a few things, is that okay?” and Addison nodded her head. “Alright. Close your eyes” and she complied with her command. “Can you tell me five things you can hear?”

Addison sifted through the sounds entering her twitching ears – each one painting a picture within her mind. She opened her eyes and answered, “The packs’ heartbeats and breathing, rushing water, ducks flying, tree branches rustling in the wind and buzzing bees.”

“That was six things, you little overachiever” she praised and booped her on the nose, making her chuckle. “Okay. Wyatt, come over here please” she quietly called out.

The rest of the wolves were standing near the entrance of the sleeping area – all of their eyes glued to the unfolding scene. Normally he didn’t need to be told twice to get closer to Addison, but now he was wondering if that was such a good idea – **especially** given her new scent. He looked at his pack mates and all of them gave him encouraging nods.

“It’ll be fine Wyatt” Wynter said and gave him a reassuring squeeze on his fuzzy shoulder. He took a deep breath to steel his nerves and walked over to them as Willa was helping her stand up.

“ _Oh wow”_ Wyatt thought. Now that his mind wasn’t bogged down with worries over her well-being, he couldn’t help but admire the new, ravishing additions to her already fabulous body. Addison fiddled with hair and shuffled a little bit under his awestruck gaze. 

“I take it you like what you see” Willa whispered, snapping him out of his trance. He smiled and quietly replied, “I always have.” “Me too” she adoringly added, making Addison blush and happily yip. The siblings chuckled at that, then shared a knowing look; it was time to see if this truly was a fluke or fate. A nervous gulp slid down her brother’s throat.

“Addison” Willa whispered.

“Yes?”

“I want you to close your eyes again and smell me. Tell me what my scent is like” she softly ordered.

“O-Oh, okay” she replied and did as she was told.

“ _No boundary issues, that’s for sure_ ” she thought as she got up close and personal while she did her olfactory investigation – starting from the pulse point of her neck before shifting down just below her belly button. Addison seemed to realize how low she going because she scrambled away from her; her eyes were still closed and her cheeks were as a red as a male sockeye salmon.

“Addison” the alpha gently called out. The girl in question slowly opened her eyes but didn’t make eye contact with her, opting to look at her wiggling toes. Willa got closer and softly put her hands on her shoulders. “C’mon, I thought you said I looked fabulous” she lightly jabbed and eventually that got the blushing wolf looking at her. “I’m glad you still think so” she grinned.

Addison tried to reciprocate it, but all she could manage was a long whine. “Addison, you don’t have to be embarrassed. You’re a werewolf now and we do smell _that_ area” she explained.

While her tone was patient and reassuring, that just made her squirm even more. “O-Okay” she squeaked out.

“Good. So, what did you smell?” she asked, getting her mind back on track.

“Um…your scent has a lot of forest elements in it – like sugar pine trees, grass, and clay. I can smell lavender on you too. And like I said you also smell like me…but not completely. We have this…sourness tinge, but it’s not bad at all! It’s kinda like…ummm…grapefruit flavored sour punch straws next to a baked potato with olive oil on it” she described.

“What??” the siblings simultaneously asked.

“I know it’s weird, but that’s about as close as I can describe it. It has a sour yet savory sweetness” she clarified.

“What the heck are sour punch straws?” Willa whispered.

“It’s a human candy” Addison explained.

“Sounds…interesting. You’ll have to bring some next time so I can see them for myself.”

“I will, I promise.”

“So besides that, what else did you smell?”

“There’s this rich, comforting scent that only you have. It’s like freshly roasted granola with cinnamon and a tinge of sage” she elaborated, making her do a double take. She mainly expected forest smells while having the rest be summed up as just her. She certainly wasn’t expecting tangible things, and an eclectic collection of items for that matter.

“I can also smell mint and some kind of animal bone on your breath. And I don’t know how I can tell, but you’re super healthy” she added.

Willa giggled at that and quietly explained, “Well, smelling _down there_ is how we tell” making Addison blush again. “If someone or something is ill, they’ll give off a slightly foul variant of their natural scent. But I gotta say, that was really impressive! Great job Addison” she complimented. She humbly scratched the back of her head and smiled at that. “Now, smell my brother. Again, take your time and don’t feel awkward about it. He’s a wolf, just like you.”

Addison looked at him and he gave her a reassuring nod. She nodded back and closed her eyes again to focus on his scent. Her examination wasn’t as long nor nearly as invasive like what she did to Willa. They didn’t miss the apparent confusion she exuded when she opened her eyes. “Wyatt…your scent. It…it compliments mine” she revealed.

“H-Huh?” he tried to play dumb; he prayed that she didn’t awaken her ability to sense someone hiding something.

“I-I don’t know how to explain it. You smell like the woods but…rockier, if that makes any sense. And you’re healthy too. But after the sour punch potato smell there’s something else I can’t describe. It’s like…I can cuddle up next to you and be perfectly content forever” she elaborated.

“ _She **can** smell it_” Willa realized, but her brother wasn’t nearly as calm and collected on the inside.

 _“Oooh crap! This is bad!”_ he thought. In any other circumstance he’d be howling happy notes till kingdom come, but she was already in a relationship and that threw a major wrench into things.

Taking their silence as a negative assessment she said, “…Sorry. That probably didn’t make any sense.”

“No, it does” Willa quietly interjected.

“Really?”

“Uh huh. Certain smells can bring about a sense of comfort and familiarity” she softly explained.

“But…I smell that with you. And especially being in the den. But with Wyatt, it’s a lot stronger. Is it like that for you too?” she asked him.

Seeing how was going to be found out one way or another with the way her senses were developing, he decided to be honest with her. “…Yes” he bashfully whispered.

“Really?!” she exclaimed and he confirmed it with a small nod, trying desperately to keep his blush at bay. “Wow…that’s amazing! Does it mean anything?”

“The elders will have to answer that one. All I know is that its rare phenomenon” Willa whispered, and Wyatt was completely grateful for the out. It certainly was a rare phenomenon but instinctual nonetheless; a sure fire sign that you found your **perfect mate**. But until she realized it, it’d be nothing more than a strong friendship…which all things considered was still way better than nothing.

“Well it seems that your senses settled in a lot faster than I thought it would” Willa spoke in her normal volume.

Addison heard the difference and something clicked. “Is that why you were whispering all this time? So you wouldn’t hurt my ears?”

“Yup” she confirmed.

“But…how is this even possible? How am I a werewolf? Why didn’t the necklace work the first time I put it on? And was the transformation supposed to hurt like that?! It felt like a period cramp kicked up ten notches while hot needles were attached to me! I mean I feel great now, I just wasn’t expecting that. And I have all this energy too; how long was I knocked out? Wait…THE TRIAL! Did I miss it!?”

“Addison!” Willa shouted and grabbed her shoulders again. “Relax. Breathe with me, okay?” and she did just that.

“Okay…I’m okay” she assured.

“Good. Now I don’t know everything, but I’ll try my best to answer your questions. Anything else we’ll have to ask the elders when they return.”

“O-Okay.”

“But first, the rest of pack is pretty eager to come in and see you. Are you okay with that?” she asked.

“Uh huh” she replied.

Willa looked over at the entrance and gestured for them to come over. They trickled in and Willa and Wyatt moved out of the way so they could come up to her; they kept a close eye on her to make sure she was alright with all the new smells. The pups approached her first – sniffing and touching her.

“Addy fur soft” Nawnu complimented as she petted the hair on her calves, tickling her in the process.

“HehehWhoa!”

Wylan and Trew each grabbed an arm and ran their little fingers through her elbow fur. Eventually she eased herself to the floor so it’d be easier for them to examine her.

“You really **really** smell like us now” Trew marveled as he sniffed her neck.

“I know, crazy right?” she replied, the true meaning of his words going over her head.

“No cryzee. Addy allsway one uff us” Nawnu replied.

“Yeah, you are the leader of team Run B&B after all” Kraw confirmed, making her smile.

“Hmmm! You also smell like the sun” Wylie described as she sniffed her stomach.

“I do?” she asked.

“Yeah, like how the sun heats up everything, that’s what you smell like. It’s soothing” she explained.

“And something else too…but I can’t figure it out” Wylan added as he continued sniffing her, even pressing his nose into her upper back fur. “It’s sweet, but not like cookies or sweet bones. Then it’s kinda nutty but not like acorns.”

“You smell like cotton too, but that’s probably because of your pants” Wanda realized.

“Nuh uh, I smell it here” Kraw refuted getting close to her ribs.

“She was wearing her shirt earlier” she reminded him.

“Oh…right” he agreed.

While this interaction was adorable, Addison was fighting every fiber of her being not to push them away. She may have gotten better when it came to them invading her personal bubble, but she had limits – especially when Gnaw got a little too close to her pelvic area. But she wasn’t about to reprimand them for how they naturally investigate things.

Sensing her discomfort Wyatt stepped in and said, “Alright pups, let’s give her some space” and they all got off of her.

She let out a miniscule sigh of relief and shot him a “thank you” smile. Soon her gaze locked onto the rest of the curious on-lookers.

“C-Can we come over to you?” Wynter asked. 

“Of course, I don’t mind” she smiled.

The teens respected her boundaries a lot more than the pups; they more or less hovered around her. Warren and Rwylo each gently grabbed a hand and inspected it.

“Addison, how do claws feel?” Warren inquired.

“They feel fine” she replied.

“Oh good” Wynter sighed in relief as she played with her toes. “We gave you a manicure and a pedicure while you were sleeping, but it’s kinda hard to do with limp limbs. Plus…we didn’t want to startle you and put you in more pain. We weren’t sure how well we did.”

“I was wondering why they looked so polished” Addison remarked.

“Yeah, your hands and feet were pretty…bloody” Wei confirmed.

“That doesn’t surprise me. It definitely hurt when everything came through” she recalled.

“But all of your cuts healed up super-fast” Wen added.

“Really? Is that normal?” she asked.

“Yes and no. We are pretty resilient and heal a lot faster than humans, but with you it was like the cuts were closing as soon as they were made” Willa explained.

“…Wow” she marveled and the two wolves let go of her hands so she could flex them. “And thanks for cleaning me up. They look and feel amazing! Like I told Wyatt you guys really need to open your own salon, especially if you can do this while someone’s unconscious” she praised, and they were beaming brighter than the luminescent rocks.

“You’re welcome mate” Willie grinned.

“We we’re going to paint them too, but like Wynter said we didn’t want to startle you. That and it’s a long process” Willow explained.

“Wait, your claws aren’t naturally black?” she asked.

“They are. I meant painting on our runes” she elaborated and showed Addison her nails.

“Yeah, I believe it. But the detail is impressive and impeccable” she admired.

“Why thank you” Rwylo smiled.

“You did this? Then again I shouldn’t be surprised – you painted the pack’s symbol like that” she extenuated with a snap of her fingers, making him smile wider. “But what’s on my claws now to make them so shiny?”

“A protective sap polish; it prevents chipping. We do some hardcore stuff after all” Row grinned.

“Yeah you do” Addison agreed. “Well, my claws are your canvas. After I do my trial.”

“Addison.” The pack backed up a bit so Willa could kneel down next to her. “You don’t need to take the trial.”

“W-What? What do you mean? Was I asleep too long?” she worryingly asked.

“Surprisingly no. The sun rose not too long along, but that’s beside the point. Don’t you remember what I said about what you needed **to be** in order for us to reveal our secrets?” she asked.

“You said I needed to pass the alpha trials” she reminded.

“That’s doing. I asked what you had to be” she corrected. It took a minute but everyone grinned when the realization dawned on her.

“…Or become a werewolf” she whispered.

“That’s riiiight” Willa smiled.

“Congrats mate! You’re one of us!” Willie happily declared.

“W-Wai”

“Alright Addison!” Wynter cheered.

“H-Hol”

“Now I can teach you all of great grandpops recipes! Maybe you’ll even end up enhancing them a bit, I know you got a nose for cooking” Row added.

“Ju-just”

“…Aw wolf, that means no bets” Wen muttered, earning a slap on the back of his head from his brother.

“H-Huh?”

“So what do you say Addison? Are you ready for a gentle victory wolf pile?” Wyatt smiled, but all of a sudden her moonstone started to glow.

**“STOP!!”**

Her bark reverberated throughout the room and everyone quickly backed up.

The pups hid behind some of the teens when they saw her teeth bared and blazing lavender eyes. This was the first time they had seen her so irritated, and over what should’ve been considered a joyous occasion. Needless to say they didn’t know how to proceed.

Thankfully they didn’t have to.

Addison closed her eyes and shook her head a bit. “Grrugghh…” she moaned as she rubbed her forehead. She slowly reopened them and they were back to her natural shade of cerulean blue. She looked up to see the nervous, almost submissive, countenances of the pack; although Willa looked more surprised if anything. Before she could utter a single word, the alpha slowly approached her and said, “Don’t apologize Addison.”

“But…but I barked at you” she remorsefully whined.

“So? We’re wolves. Wolves bark. We’re the ones who’re sorry – we got too close and overwhelmed you. All you did was “nip” at us to give you some space; it’s perfectly natural” she assured.

Wylie came around Wyatt’s leg and said, “S-Sorry Addy” and the rest of the pups whined their apologies too.

“It’s okay. I…I guess I was feeling a little overwhelmed with everything. Even so, this is without a doubt the best day of my life! I finally know what I am and I couldn’t be happier to be a part of this community. But…that’s just it. **I’m not**. Not yet anyway. Not until I pass those trials” she insisted.

“But Addison, you’re a werewolf now. You get to learn about us and how to be one of us” Wyatt responded.

“…You’re right. And I don’t want you to think that I’m ungrateful. It’s just…at least for me…that sounds like someone who’s an **observer**. I don’t want that, then I’d really be an anthropologist” she expressed.

“A what?” Wynter asked.

“Anthropologist. Someone who studies human societies, cultures and their development. Or in this case werewolf society. But I don’t want to study you guys. Yes I want to learn, I really do! But…I also want to be one of you. I mean I am, obviously I am. How I don’t know, but that’s beside the point. What I’m trying to say is…I want to be a part of this pack not just because I am a wolf, but because I’m a **Nanukilik** wolf. And the trials help you determine that” she explained.

“…Now I understand” Willa spoke. “You want these trials to be implemented the same way our ancestors conducted them, is that right?”

“Yes! Yes, that’s right” she nodded. “Plus, I initiated these trials while I was **human**. You said yourself that wolves are all or nothing, which meant that you were challenging all of my capabilities, regardless of what I was, in a werewolf capacity. And since those parameters were officially set, nothing can change them – not even a transformation.”

“Hmmmm…that is a good point. And as alpha it is my duty and responsibility to not only implement the rules of our pack with a **discerning eye** , but heed them as well. We all do.”

The rest of the wolves murmured amongst themselves, coming to terms with her well-reasoned argument. But for Wyatt this felt like a devastating gut punch; he did not like where this was going at all.

“However, I’m not going to send you out there if you’re sore and discombobulated” she asserted.

“I’m not! I swear I'm fine!” she assured and stood up to prove her point. There was no stutter or waver in her stance – she even stretched a bit. “See? All good!” she confirmed…that is before her stomach started growling.

“All good huh?” Willa skeptically repeated while standing up too. “Well…I did promise we’d get you something to eat.”

“And once my belly is full, there’ll be nothing I can’t do” she affirmed.

“…You just won’t quit will you?” she smirked; she could see the stone-set resolve in her eyes. Still, she had to be certain. “Addison, are you absolutely sure about this? The conditions of hunting trial are still the same. If you don’t bring something back before sunset, then your challenge will be over. You won’t be able to interact with our pack nor be in our territory so long as **I** am alpha” she reminded her.

“Then I’d better get a move on” she confidently smiled, sealing her decision. “But, if I could borrow one of your spears and some rope that’d be great.”

“Of course. Warren, go grab those for her please. And Row, bring her some berries” she commanded.

“Yes alpha” Warren saluted and took off.

“Would you like honey on top?” Row asked.

“Yes please” she politely replied.

“You got it” he and tailed after Warren towards the kitchen.

“Good choice, you’ll need all the energy you can get” Willa acknowledged.

“And it tastes great too!” she replied, garnering a chuckle out of the pack.

“Addison.”

“Hm?”

“I respect your commitment to finishing what you started, despite the odds. Even before your transformation you always had the heart and tenacity of a werewolf” Willa reverently spoke and gently rubbed her head.

“Thank you alpha. That means a lot to me” Addison smiled.

Soon Row and Warren return with the items in hand. Addison ate everything out of the bowl, even licking up the last drop of honey, before washing it down with water. “Thank you Row, they were delicious!”

“I can tell” he grinned and took the clayware.

Wei and Wen helped tie the spear holster and rope to her body. “Thank you Wei and Wen.”

“You go it Addy” Wen replied and gave her a thumbs up. “Anytime” Wei smiled.

“Wow Addy, you look like a rook!” Gnaw complimented and everyone nodded at that.

“Thank you, but what’s a rook?” she asked.

“A guardian – one of the roles of our pack” Wei explained.

“Think of it like this. Our pack is the kingdom and every kingdom needs knights to protect it” Willa elaborated.

“Oh wow” she marveled.

 _“She looks more like a goddess to me”_ Wyatt thought as he stared at her completely awestruck. Willa rolled her eyes when she noticed him staring at her with a dumbstruck smile.

“Then you guys are like Swiss army knives – you're able to do a bit of everything” she remarked.

“We all have our strengths Addison, that’s why we work so well together. Now we’re about to see yours. C’mon, let’s go” and everyone follows her out of the den. Once they’re outside, she faces Addison and puts her hands on her shoulders. “Alright white hair, from this point on you’re on your own. Remember what Wyatt taught you and be careful of other predators. Trust your senses and let your wolf instincts lead when necessary. But most importantly, don’t forget what made you **you** in the first place.”

“Got it!”

“Then…what’re you waiting for? Show us what you can do” she smirked and let her go.

She didn’t need to be told twice and took off - her new speed greatly surprising her. “ _WOW! I’m waaay faster than what I used to be! And my feet don’t hurt at all – I can barely feel the rocks or twigs! God this awesome!_ ” she happily thought until her ears perked up to the pack’s howls. She was about to turn back thinking Willa forgot to tell her something, instead the sound turned into phonetic sounds before finally morphing into words.

“Good luck Addy!” “Do your best!” “You’ll do great!” “Catch a big fish!” “I’ll cook you up a delicious meal with whatever you catch!” were some of the things she heard and she couldn’t help sporting the biggest smile ever. “ _This really is the best day of my life_!” With added motivation she picked up her pace, speeding through the natural grocery store until she found something to her liking.

* * *

“Well, that ought to put a pep in her step” Willa smiled, but it disappeared when she heard an irritated huff. She looked over and saw Wyatt with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

“…Big sister” he growled.

“Baby brother” she simply replied.

“Why did you let her go!? And what’s all this crap about her not being able to come back here if she fails!? I don’t remember that being a condition of the hunting trial!”

The rest of the pack warily looked between them. On the one hand, rules were rules; they were created to keep them safe and secure. On the other hand Addison was practically family, and now she was actually one of them. It just felt all kinds of wrong to kick her out based on a little technicality.

“Then you weren’t paying attention to the elder’s teachings” Willa countered, making him bare his fangs.

“Don’t start with me” he warned.

“Likewise brother” she growled back. “Wyatt, like it or not that’s the rule for outsiders; it’s been that way since ancient times; even more so since the **red duel**. And anyway, here I thought you thought she was amazing.”

“Of course she is!”

“And we believe she’ll succeed. That’s why we held a bet collection in the first place, right?”

“Well…yeah but-”

“Then that’s that” she concluded.

“Willa” he exasperated.

“Wyatt. You and everyone else saw how I tried to dissuade her from doing this, but she made up her mind. Besides, even if she accepted the bypass entry it would’ve been reluctantly at best. She definitely wouldn’t have been too happy about it” she surmised.

“Why not?! It doesn’t make any sense!” he argued.

“Based on the little I’ve heard, it seemed she had to operate in unconventional ways in order to gain approval; so I’m going to guess that nothing was ever handed to her just because. Despite her argument, what she’s doing is the norm for her” she explained.

“But it’s not like with us. We could’ve shown her how we operate as a unit and how differences are our biggest strength.”

“That’s just it though. The alpha trials determine if a new wolf can be relied on and contribute to the pack. Being a benefit instead of a detriment.”

“I think she contributed the most when she found our moonstone!” he fired back.

“You know that is completely irrelevant to this challenge! Remember, she wanted this and agreed to it even though she was a human. Besides, the rule stands so long as **I’m** the alpha. I can’t believe you didn’t catch that” she pointed out.

“Oh…I heard it loud and clear” he snarled. His necklace flared to life and turned his eyes yellow. “Grrrr! You’re supposed to have the discer-”

“I’m going to stop you right there before you say something to **really** make me mad” she cut him off with her own snarl while poking his chest. “If you had focused on what I said, you would’ve realized that Addison will have multiple chances to join the pack.”

Needless to say that completely blindsided him. “What?! But you said-”

“So long as **I** am the alpha” she overemphasized the **single** letter.

“Ooooh! I get it!” Wynter exclaimed and the rest of the teens seemed to catch the hidden meaning of the trial condition; though the pups were still out of the loop.

“Get what?!” he barked.

“Let’s say Willa has to go somewhere with the elders for a few days. That would make **you** acting alpha until she got back since you're next in line – which means you can enforce your own spin on the trials!” she explained. A round of relieved “ohs” came out of the little ones and all of Wyatt’s agitation instantly disappeared.

“…Oh” he meekly said.

“Loophole baby brother” and she softly knocked against his forehead.

“W-Willa…I’m so sorry I doubted you” he guiltily whined.

But she waved it off and replied, “I’ll let it slide this time. Besides, it’s not your fault. You care about her and that clouded your mind. Plus I expected this kind of reaction – it’s not every day you smell compatible mates.”

“Willa!” he blushed.

“What? It’s not a secret. Well…to Addison it is” she amended.

“Thank you for that by the way” he gratefully acknowledged.

“Don’t mention it. While I do have to follows the ancient rules, my pack’s happiness and safety always comes first” and everyone happily howled their appreciation for their alpha.

Wyatt went over to her and licked her cheeks. “You’re the best big sis” he expressed.

“Just doing my job baby bro. Now c’mon, let’s put down the bets and catch something nearby. I don’t know what she’ll bring back-”

“It’ll be a fish!” Wen chimed in.

“Heh, so you say, but I doubt it’ll be enough to feed our pack. Pups, you’ll be joining us.”

“For real?!” Wylan asked.

“Why not? Our new pup is out there hunting so we should start your training now too” she reasoned.

“Awesome!” they gleefully exclaimed.

“But Row, I’m going to need you to follow Addison” she ordered.

“What?! Why Row?” Wyatt frowned.

“Because I want someone nearby in case she has a few bumps and bruises when she succeeds. I want her to come back safely, and I know for a **fact** that you’ll go running to her side if she stubs her toe on a rock. She needs to do this on her own. And like it or not, Row is the quietest one out of all of us and knows how to keep his distance” she rationalized.

“Comes with befriending bees” he commented.

Wyatt lets out a resigned growl. “Oh relax, you’ll see her soon enough. And if she’s all sore and dirty maybe you can help her bathe” she recommends, making him blush. “Like I said, enjoy getting to know her and whatever else that comes along, especially since it looks like she’ll be spending a lot more time here now.”

“…I’m okay with that” he concedes.

“Good, now go on Row.”

“Yes alpha! Oh, and put down eight pebbles for my choice please” he requests.

“Will do” Willa assures.

With that he takes off after the white bullet, eager to see what she’s able to take down and hopefully increase his little treasure collection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...that answered some questions, but now there's a boatload more! Which will all be answered in due time ;) For now, place your bets! What do you think Addison will catch? Will she be able to succeed at all? Tune in to find out!  
> Thank you to all who have read this story and for the kind words, I really appreciate it!


End file.
